New Delhi:

Dense fog blanketed Delhi-NCR on Sunday, leading to significant disruptions in train schedules across multiple routes and challenging travel conditions for commuters. The city woke up to foggy weather with a temperature of 10 degrees Celcius, as visibility remained severely reduced.

Railway authorities are working to ensure passenger safety, but delays persisted throughout the morning.

A total of 47 trains originating from Delhi were impacted, with 41 running late — some by over three hours. Notable delays were observed in trains such as the KIR-ASR Express, Lichchavi Express, Gorkhdham Express, Purushottam Express, Mahabodhi Express, Malwa Express, and Dakshin Express. Additionally, the schedules of six trains were revised to accommodate the disruptions.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) reported dense fog across Delhi and NCR, with the cold spell likely to persist.

Moderate foggy conditions are expected until January 21, followed by light rain or thundershowers on January 22 and 23. Morning temperatures are forecasted to range between 7 degrees Celcius and 12 degrees Celcius, while daytime temperatures may hover between 18 degrees Celcius and 21 degrees Celcius.

Travellers departing from major stations such as New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin have been advised to stay updated on train schedules through official railway apps and station announcements to minimise inconvenience.

In addition to affecting train services, the dense fog has exacerbated Delhi’s air quality.

The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped to 335, categorised as ‘very poor’ according to the Sameer app, a sharp decline from Saturday’s reading of 248.

While air quality has been fluctuating, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) recently lifted Stage-III curbs under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) due to an earlier improvement in AQI levels.

The cold weather has also driven many homeless individuals to seek refuge in night shelters, with authorities closely monitoring the situation to ensure adequate provisions are in place.

Beyond the capital, dense to very dense fog is expected to persist in parts of Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, and eastern Uttar Pradesh during the night and early morning, disrupting travel in these regions. Northern Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan will remain under a cold spell, with maximum temperatures staying below average through the weekend.

Meanwhile, southern states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh are experiencing intermittent rainfall. Coastal Tamil Nadu is likely to witness isolated thunderstorms, with rainfall intensity peaking over the weekend, especially in the southern districts.

With winter conditions intensifying, authorities across affected regions continue to take precautionary measures to mitigate the impact of the weather on daily life.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

A thick blanket of smog continued to envelop Delhi and its adjoining National Capital Region (NCR) for the second consecutive day, with the air quality remaining ‘severe’ on Saturday. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research, the air quality index (AQI) breached the 400 mark.

The visibility across the national capital dropped between zero and 200, likely disrupting flight operations.

The Delhi Airport issued an advisory for passengers today morning saying, “Low visibility procedures are in progress at Delhi Airport. All flight operations are presently normal. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information.”

However, it added, “While landings and take-offs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted.”

Update issued at 06:00 hours.
Kind attention to all flyers!#DelhiAirport #FogAlert pic.twitter.com/oY6vMpch0t

— Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) January 11, 2025

At least 26 trains are running late today, officials said.

Over 100 flights were delayed at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Friday, while at least 30 trains were running late.

Visuals show the national capital covered in a blanket of smog.

#WATCH | Visibility reduced to zero as a blanket of dense fog witnessed in parts of Delhi-NCR

(Visuals from Subroto Park) pic.twitter.com/D2oxrkvaSZ

— ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2025

#WATCH | A dense fog envelops parts of Delhi-NCR

(Visuals from Akshardham area) pic.twitter.com/QX2BGSNOoM

— ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2025

Amid the worsening air quality, the Centre’s panel on Delhi-NCR’s air quality re-imposed Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Under GRAP-3, private BS III petrol and BS IV diesel vehicles have been banned. According to the government, violators will face penalties under Section 194(1) of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, which translates to a fine of Rs 20,000.

Heavy rain likely today

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall in Delhi over the weekend. According to the weather department, thunderstorms and lightning with dense fog will likely prevail over the national capital on Saturday and Sunday.

“Dense to very dense fog is likely at isolated places over east Uttar Pradesh, dense fog at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and west Uttar Pradesh,” it added.

New Delhi:

A thick blanket of smog continued to grip Delhi and its adjoining areas on Tuesday morning, as the air quality nearly touched the 500 mark. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) data, Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) was 494 at 6 am – in the ‘severe plus’ category.

Of the 35 monitoring stations in the national capital, most recorded an AQI of 500. The lowest AQI of 480 was recorded at NSIT Dwarka, the real-time data showed.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) also issued an ‘orange’ alert for dense fog for the second consecutive day.

Trains and flights have been delayed or cancelled as the visibility plunged due to the toxic smog in India’s capital. At least 22 trains were delayed and nine others were cancelled on Tuesday morning, reported news agency ANI.

IndiGo Airlines, in an advisory late-night, said, “Foggy weather in Delhi, Amritsar, and Chandigarh is affecting travel conditions, including slow-moving traffic and possible changes to flight operations. Please plan accordingly and stay updated on the flight status for a smooth journey.”

#6ETravelAdvisory : Foggy weather in Delhi, Amritsar & Chandigarh is affecting travel conditions, including slow-moving traffic and possible changes to flight operations. Please plan accordingly and stay updated on the flight status for a smooth journey https://t.co/rpnOvAOxQl

— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) November 18, 2024

On Monday, the Delhi government imposed Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), an anti-pollution plan – in addition to the first three stages.

Under the GRAP-4 measures, a ban has been imposed on Delhi-registered BS-IV or older diesel medium and heavy goods vehicles. All trucks and light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi will not be allowed to enter the national capital, except for those carrying essential commodities or providing essential services.

Additionally, public and private offices have been asked to work at 50 per cent capacity and the rest have been recommended to work from home. All schools have been either closed or gone online.

According to a government release, the state government may consider additional emergency measures such as the closure of non-emergency commercial activities, and permitting the running of vehicles on an odd-even basis of registration numbers.

Schools shut across Delhi-NCR

Schools across Delhi-NCR have been shut owing to the severe air pollution and hazardous AQI levels.

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi said that all physical classes till Class 12 have been suspended and all studies are being shifted online. The Delhi University and the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) have decided to conduct online classes till November 22

In Haryana’s Gurugram, all classes up to Class 12 have been suspended from November 19 to November 23 or until further notice. Ghaziabad, which touched AQI of 450, has also directed schools to go online. The district administration in Gautam Buddh Nagar too has directed schools to discontinue all physical classes.

Supreme Court raps Delhi government

On Monday, the Supreme Court directed Delhi and the NCR states to strictly implement GRAP 4 measures and questioned why it took so long to impose them. A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih also instructed Delhi-NCR states to immediately form teams to monitor compliance with actions required under the plan.

The court also ordered that the GRAP 4 measures must continue even if the AQI falls below 450, adding that they cannot be relaxed with the top court’s permission.