New Delhi:

Dense fog engulfed Delhi and NCR on Saturday morning, prompting the Indira Gandhi International Airport and airlines to issue and advisory. IndiGo said flight schedules will be impacted, advising travellers to plan their travel accordingly.

The temperature as of 8.30 am was 11.3 degrees Celsius. As per FlightRadar24, the average delay in departures was at 26 minutes.

Delhi wrapped up a rather warm January with Friday’s maximum temperature reaching 27 degrees Celsius, making it the city’s warmest day in the month since 2019.

The month’s average maximum temperature was 21.1 degrees Celsius, a notch above the long-period average of 20.1 degrees Celsius, marking it as Delhi’s warmest January since 2019.

Meteorologists attributed the warmer-than-usual January to the absence of strong western disturbances, which typically bring rain, lowering the temperature.

Many parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir were also enveloped with dense fog, as per  the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Forecasts suggest Delhi’s air will continue to hover in the ‘very poor’ category until February 3, with slight improvements expected thereafter.

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 severe cold wave has gripped several parts of North India with Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand witnessing heavy snowfall, leading to the disruption in travel. At least 226, including three national highways, have been closed in Himachal Pradesh, while in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun, intense snowfall has halted traffic along a 30-kilometer stretch of the Tyuni-Chakrata-Mussoorie National Highway.

Uttarakhand’s Dharanadhar-Koti Kanasar road is heavily covered in snow, leaving two tourists from Delhi stranded, reported news agency IANS. Heavy snowfall has also made Jammu and Kashmir a winter wonderland but has also brought many miseries to locals and tourists. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Srinagar is witnessing a minimum temperature of -7 degrees Celsius.

Severe cold wave warning in Himachal Pradesh

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an ‘orange’ alert for severe cold conditions in Himachal Pradesh, adding that a thick blanket of fog is likely to persist over the state. According to the weather department, some parts of the state may also witness rain and snow over the weekend.

“Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir on December 26,” the IMD said.

Out of the 226 roads closed in Himachal Pradesh, 123 are in Shimla, 36 in Lahaul and Spiti, and 25 in Kullu. Additionally, 173 transformers were disrupted, affecting power supply across the state, reported PTI.

Smog grips Delhi

A thick blanket of smog gripped Delhi on Thursday morning as the air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category. The visibility in the national capital also plunged, causing disruptions in flight operations. At least 83 flight departures have been delayed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) since 12 am.

The Delhi airport also issued an advisory for passengers amid the poor air quality.

“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,” it said in a post on X.

The national capital is also witnessing a cold wave with a minimum temperature of 7 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning. The IMD has forecast light rainfall in the capital on Friday and Saturday and has issued a ‘yellow’ alert predicting dense fog on Sunday.

Farmers will march towards the Parliament complex on Monday to press five key demands, leading to increased security and route diversions in the Delhi-NCR regions.

Here are the key developments:

New Delhi:

“When they stop our work, we don’t just lose the wages. It’s the food on our plates and the little we try to save for our children’s future,” says Raju Singh, a mason from Bihar.

He was one of thousands of migrant and local construction workers rendered jobless following the November 11 ban on constructions, prompted by the Delhi-NCR’s air quality plunging to hazardous levels.

More such bans are likely to follow throughout the winter. While that is good news for the city’s residents, the story is different for these construction workers.

“Even though working in the polluted air makes it hard for us to breathe, I would rather work than sit idle,” Raju Singh says, describing the crushing blow the restrictions have on his finances.

These trysts with work stoppages have become an annual affair for him, and hundreds of others like him.

The Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) — a statutory body responsible for formulating strategies to combat pollution in the region — implements anti-pollution measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

Introduced in 2017 and implemented on the basis of Air Quality Index (AQI) readings, GRAP I and II (AQI 201-400) focus on advisories, dust control, and restricting diesel generators. Under GRAP-III (AQI 401-450), all non-essential construction and entry of vehicles into the city are banned. GRAP-IV (AQI above 450) halts all construction, bans non-essential trucks and BS-IV diesel vehicles, and advises work-from-home.

Dr Sarath Guttikunda, the founder and director of UrbanEmissions.Info, shared a study in which he reviewed Delhi’s air pollution from 1990-2022 and found that construction-related work plays a significant part in the dust category, accounting for 10-30 per cent of the pollution.

Construction activities were banned for 20 days in 2021 and 35 days in 2022. Last year, non-essential construction work was banned for 26 days, and the outlook for this year appears similarly grim.

Ajay Kumar (34), another mason from Bihar, was also rendered jobless when the GRAP curbs were implemented.

To support his family, he started working as a helper at a vegetable shop, earning less than a third of his usual income.

An unskilled labourer, Rina Devi (40) shares a similar story. She switched to stitching clothes for neighbours on an old sewing machine, earning a fraction of her regular wages.

“It was the only way to make money. The income was meagre but it allowed us to pay for food and basic necessities,” she says.

Sujit, a labourer from West Bengal describes how such consecutive bans trap them in a vicious debt cycle.

“When work stops, we’ve to borrow money at high interest. When work resumes, most of our earnings go into paying off the debt,” he says.

Sujit moved to Delhi to escape climate change-induced flooding in his village, only to run into a form of crisis caused by the activities responsible for the climate change he was escaping from — construction and industry.

Most of Delhi-NCR’s estimated 13 lakh construction workers consists of migrants from Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.

Driven by the promise of high wages, they often bring their families, setting up temporary shelters at the construction sites, and inadvertently creating conditions for another major problem — child labour.

Now 12, Kajal has spent her entire life moving from one worksite to another, never been to school and worked in construction from the age of 10.

“We move around the city for work,” she says during a break from carrying stones up the floors of a Greater Noida worksite.

Drawn by the promise of high wages, her family relocated from Jharkhand, only to find themselves struggling to make ends meet each winter.

On top of the blanket construction bans, other GRAP measures significantly limit employment opportunities during winters. Skilled workers are prioritised for the few available jobs, leaving unskilled labourers like Shalini Singh, a 35-year-old mother of two, with little to no work.

She had been working at a site in Delhi’s Haiderpur, trying to save every rupee for these lean months.

Her husband, who struggles with alcoholism, contributes little, leaving her solely responsible for her children’s upbringing.

“Every year, I know work will stop. So I save as much as I can,” she says.

But with her children growing older, managing expenses on an irregular income is becoming harder.

“I dream of giving my daughter a different life,” she says. “She wants to be an architect but how can I pay for her studies if I have no regular work for four or five months?” Women like Shalini Singh, who take on labour-intensive but low-paying jobs carrying bricks or breaking rocks, are among the worst affected.

“Women in construction are often categorised as unskilled labour and are paid less than men,” says Shashi Kaur, a social worker with CFAR, an NGO which assists workers register for job cards.

“When work stops, they have few resources to fall back on,” she adds.

As on October 1, Delhi’s minimum wage for unskilled workers is Rs 18,066 a month. This is significantly higher than in nearby states and the disparity leads to even more families migrating to the national capital.

However, the higher wage means little when there is no work. When the restrictions are finally lifted, the poor air quality endangers workers’ health.

Dr Sajjad Khan, who works in a mohalla clinic, said he got the most patients during winter and they came with pollution-related ailments.

He said exposure to such high pollution levels might cause long-term respiratory ailments.

But for many workers, the immediate need for money outweighs the potential health consequences.

Although the Delhi government has welfare schemes for construction workers, accessing these benefits is a challenge for many.

A fund managed by the Delhi Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board provides financial aid to non-migrant workers but registrations dropped from four lakh in 2023 to 81,000 now, a senior official said.

A Delhi Pollution Control Committee official said the seasonal construction bans under GRAP were crucial for protecting public health and combating the hazardous pollution levels.

Acknowledging the construction workers’ hardships, he said efforts were on to improve the registration processes to ensure broader access.

“The government is also exploring supplementary measures, such as financial aid, to mitigate the bans’ impact,” he added.

But many workers PTI spoke to said registering meant filling lengthy forms that they were not educated enough to do.

As Delhi grapples with pollution, construction workers brace themselves for a winter of uncertainty.

“We don’t ask for much — just enough to feed our families. We need work so our children can have a good life,” says Shalini Singh. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The Centre’s pollution watchdog on Wednesday revised the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), mandating the closure of schools in Delhi and NCR districts under Stages 3 and 4 of the plan.

Previously, the decision to implement these measures was left to the discretion of the state governments.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and adjoining areas on Wednesday revised the GRAP, mandating the closure of schools in Delhi and the NCR districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddh Nagar under Stages 3 and 4.

An additional directive under Stage 3 of the GRAP now requires the state governments to stagger the timings of public offices and municipal bodies in Delhi and the aforementioned NCR districts.

For other NCR districts, the decision on office timings remains at the discretion of the respective state governments, according to the order.

Previously, under Stage 3, the state governments could decide whether to halt physical classes for the students up to Class 5 and transition to online learning.

Similarly, under Stage 4, they had the option to discontinue in-person classes for the students in classes 6 to 9 and 11.

However, the revised GRAP now makes these measures mandatory for Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar, while allowing other NCR districts the flexibility to decide, it said.

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court reprimanded the CAQM for delaying the implementation of Stages 3 and 4 of the GRAP and emphasized the immediate need for closure of schools across NCR until further orders.

The Supreme Court also directed the CAQM to adopt stricter measures under Stages 3 and 4, ensuring that implementation is no longer left to the discretion of local authorities.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital has been in the severe category since Sunday. On Monday and Tuesday, it escalated to the Severe Plus category, with readings exceeding 450. However, there was slight improvement on Wednesday, as the 24-hour average AQI stood at 419, still within the severe category. 

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

Delhi:

Delhi’s air quality improved slightly on Saturday morning nearly four days after the national capital reeled under toxic air pollution, however, it still remains in the ‘poor’ category. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi dropped to 230 this morning – from Friday’s reading of 270. 

According to the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS), the air quality in Delhi has improved due to a sudden change in wind direction and speed. Despite the improvement, weather experts have cautioned that the relief may be short-lived, as pollution levels are expected to rise again in the next three days, reported news agency PTI.

The air quality index is likely to touch 400 by October 31, the weather system said. 

Fearing further air quality deterioration after Diwali, the Delhi government has imposed stage two of the GRAP or the Graded Response Action Plan. Under this stage, there are restrictions on the use of coal, firewood, and diesel generator sets across Delhi-NCR. The administration will carry out mechanical sweeping and water sprinkling on roads daily, while people have been advised to use public transport and minimize the use of personal vehicles.

On Friday, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai conducted a demonstration showcasing drone-based services to identify sources of pollution in hotspot areas. He also discussed the recently released 21-point Winter Action Plan designed to tackle various pollution sources, including dust, vehicle emissions, and open burning, reported PTI.

“The Delhi government is working tirelessly day and night to combat pollution,” he said.

According to Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi, the civic body has formed 372 surveillance teams to monitor pollution. A total of 57,000 sanitation workers have been deployed for manual sweeping on the roads, while 195 water sprinklers and jetting machines have been stationed across the national capital. Thirty anti-smog guns have also been installed at polluted locations identified by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the Mayor said.

Some of the neighbouring states are witnessing a poor air quality index – Uttar Pradesh at 254 AQI, Haryana at 267 AQI, and Rajasthan at 243 AQI. 

New Delhi:

As Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘poor’ category for the second consecutive day, the Centre’s air pollution control panel for Delhi-NCR directed state governments in the region to implement the first stage of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

Following Dussehra and other festivities, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 281 as of 6.20 am on Tuesday, making it the seventh most polluted city in the country, after Noida and Greater Noida.

Here are the measures that are implemented under the various stages of GRAP, the first stage of which came into effect in Delhi-NCR at 8 am:

Stage 1 (AQI 201-300):

• Periodic mechanised sweeping and water sprinkling on roads.
• Dust mitigation at construction sites.
• Proper waste management.
• Strict checks on polluting vehicles, better traffic management, and emission controls in industries, power plants, and brick kilns.
• Bans on open burning of waste, limited use of diesel generators, and no use of coal or firewood in eateries. 
• Quick actions for redressal of complaints on 311 APP, Green Delhi App, SAMEER App and other such social media platforms to curb polluting activities. 
• Encourage offices to start unified commutes for employees to reduce traffic on the road.
• Advisory to celebrate festivals in an eco-friendly manner by avoiding firecrackers.

Stage 2 (AQI 301-400):

• Mechanised sweeping and water sprinkling on roads on a daily basis.
• Focussed and targeted action for abatement of air pollution in all identified hotspots.
• Uninterrupted power supply to discourage use of alternate power generating sets.
• Alert in newspapers/TV/radio to advise people about air pollution levels.
• Enhance vehicle parking fees to discourage private transport.
• Resident Welfare Associations are required to provide electric heaters to security staff.
• Augment CNG/electric bus and metro services by inducting additional fleet and increasing the frequency of service. 

Stage 3 (AQI 401-450):

• More frequent mechanised road sweeping and daily water sprinkling along with dust suppressants, before peak traffic hours, on roads and hotspots.
• Further intensify public transport services with rates to encourage off-peak travel.
• Stop mining and stone-crushing activities.
• Strict restrictions on BS lll petrol and BS lV diesel LMVS (4 wheelers), strict restrictions on Delhi-registered Diesel operated Medium Goods Vehicles (MGVS) to BS-lll standards, BS-lll and below diesel operated LCVS (goods carriers) registered outside Delhi not permitted to enter Delhi, lnter-State buses from NCR states other than EVs/CNG/BS-Vl diesel, to not enter Delhi,
• Possible discontinuing physical classes in schools for children up to Class V.
• Strict curbs on construction and demolition activities.

Stage 4 (AQI >450):

• Stop entry of truck traffic into Delhi.
• Ban on construction and demolition activites for linear public projects such as highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission, pipelines, telecommunication etc.
• Government can discontinue physical classes, including for Classes Vl – lX and Class Xl.
• Government to take a decision on allowing public, municipal and private offices to work on 50% strength and the rest to work from home.
• State governments may consider additional emergency measures like the closure of colleges/educational institutions and closure of non-emergency commercial activities, permitting the running of vehicles on the odd-even basis of registration numbers etc.
• Children, the elderly and those with respiratory, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, or other chronic diseases to avoid outdoor activities and stay indoors.