Dense Fog Blankets Delhi-NCR: Over 120 Flights Cancelled as Air Quality Hits 'Severe' 400+ Mark, Orange Alert Issued

New Delhi: Amid worsening air quality in the national capital, over 120 flights were cancelled at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Saturday as poor visibility disrupted flight operations following an advisory. A total of 66 arrivals and 63 departures were cancelled for the day, with several delayed as per reports. 

The India Meteorological Department has also issued an orange alert for Delhi, warning that very thick fog is likely to occur in many parts of the city during the early morning hours. Light mist may also develop at night. Similar weather conditions are expected to persist on Sunday and Monday, with dense fog likely in several areas.

How Is Delhi's Air Quality?

As the thick smog continues to engulf Delhi, Delhi’s air quality deteriorated further on Saturday morning. The overall AQI, recorded at 380 around 7 a.m. (CPCB), was in the ‘very poor’ category. However, it worsened to 384 by 8 a.m., and thick smog engulfed the city as air quality spiked to the ‘severe’ category (AQI 429) at several locations.

According to CPCB readings, Sarai Kale Khan recorded an AQI of 428, Akshardham stood at 420, Rao Tularam Marg at 403, and the Barapullah flyover area at 380. Other pollution hotspots included Anand Vihar at 428, Ashok Vihar at 407, and the ITO area at 429, indicating severe air quality across large parts of the city.

In response to the deteriorating situation, the Commission for Air Quality Management has implemented all measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage-IV across Delhi-NCR. The restrictions include a ban on non-essential construction activities, curbs on the entry of certain diesel vehicles, and stricter enforcement to control pollution sources.

As per AQI classification, values between 0 and 50 are considered ‘good’, 51 to 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 to 200 ‘moderate’, 201 to 300 ‘poor’, 301 to 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 to 500 ‘severe’.

Coldest December Day Recorded on Thursday

Delhi recorded its coldest December day of the season on Thursday, with the maximum temperature settling at 20.1 degrees Celsius. This was around 2.1 degrees below normal, making daytime conditions unusually chilly for mid-December.

According to IMD data, Thursday’s daytime temperature was the lowest recorded so far this December. The second-lowest maximum temperature stood at 23.7 degrees Celsius on December 4, while 24.3 degrees Celsius, recorded in November, marked the third-lowest this season.