New Delhi:

As Delhi’s air quality dipped to the ‘severe plus’ category this year forcing disruption in flight operations, the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport has created special enclosures for passengers stuck on flights due to fog, poor weather, or technical conditions.

The initiative allows the fliers to go back inside the terminal without any discomfort in security protocols, officials said.

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a subsidiary of GMR Airports Limited, which operates and manages the Delhi Airport, is establishing the special enclosures at all three terminals for both domestic and international passengers. The enclosures, which will accommodate 55 to 120 passengers at a time, will be located at bus boarding gates and some aerobridges at Terminal 3, transfer areas at Terminal 2, and bus boarding gates at Terminal 1.

The enclosures will only be used as a security processing area, following which the passengers will be allowed to enter the Security Hold Area (SHA) of the airport where they can access all facilities, including food.

According to the Delhi airport officials, only those fliers and airline staff who are stranded inside the flights will be allowed into the enclosures.

Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel are also being deployed at the enclosures to maintain safety and security, officials said. Private Security Agency (PSA) personnel will also check passengers’ documents before entering the zones, they added.

The authorities are also working on providing essential facilities such as toilets and vending machines at the enclosures, officials said.

“DIAL has been working towards improving passenger experience at Delhi Airport. By implementing this new initiative, DIAL aims to significantly reduce the time taken in the disembarkation and boarding process for passengers of flights affected by fog/weather or technical issues,” Delhi Airport CEO, Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, said.

Last month, Delhi witnessed massive flight delays and cancellations due to a thick blanket of smog hovering over the national capital. The air quality index plunged to the worst 500 in some areas and the visibility dipped to barely 500 metres. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the AQI in Delhi stands at 273 on Monday in the ‘poor’ category.

New Delhi:

Delhi continues to be wrapped in a blanket of smog, with the air quality in the “severe” category for the third consecutive day. With AQI 498, Delhi is the world’s second most polluted city, after Pakistan’s Lahore with AQI 770 recorded at 7 am. IQAir, a Swiss company, ranks major cities based on Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5) data.

The top five polluted areas in Delhi this morning are Jahangirpuri (with AQI 458), Bawana (455), Wazirpur (455), Rohini (452), and Punjabi Bagh (443), according to Central Pollution Control Board’s Sameer App.

Delhi’s Palam and Safdurjung reported 500m and 400m visibilities respectively.

Low visibility due to smog has affected flight and rail operations across India. Several IndiGo flights to and from Amritsar are affected. Many SpiceJet flights to and from Delhi and Darbanga are running late.

Various trains are running late by over two hours. More than 25 trains arriving at New Delhi railway station are also delayed.  

With no respite in sight, all primary schools in Delhi have been moved online, Chief Minister Atishi announced in a post on X. She said the online classes for primary school children will continue “until further directions”.

Due to rising pollution levels, all primary schools in Delhi will be shifting to online classes, until further directions.

— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) November 14, 2024

On Thursday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) enforced stage 3 of the Graded Action Response Plan (GRAP). Under GRAP 3, the following restrictions and measures have been imposed:

• A ban on non-essential construction and demolition work.
• A ban on the operation of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi and parts of the NCR like Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Noida.
• Restricted use of diesel generator sets for emergency purposes only. Industrial operations not running on fuels in the standard list of approved ones are banned.
• Intensified mechanized road sweeping and water sprinkling to suppress dust.
• Increasing public transport services and promoting off-peak travel through differential rates.
• Major welding and gas-cutting operations. Minor welding activities for MEP (Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing) works are to be, however, permitted.
• Painting, polishing and varnishing works etc. Cement, Plaster / other coatings, except for minor indoor repairs/ maintenance. Cutting/grinding and fixing of tiles, stones and other flooring materials, except for minor indoor repairs/ maintenance. Waterproofing work (Excluding Chemical waterproofing).
• Movement of vehicles carrying construction materials on unpaved roads. Long-term exposure to “severe” AQI can affect even healthy people and seriously impact those with existing diseases. Doctors have cautioned people to stay indoors as much as possible as air pollution affects physical and mental well-being and can cause health problems ranging from respiratory issues to cardiovascular.

READ | GRAP 3 In Delhi Explained: What Is Banned, What Is Allowed

“We have been witnessing several gastrointestinal and metabolic conditions due to air pollution,” Dr. Sukrit Singh Sethi, Consultant – Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Liver Transplantation, Narayana Hospital, Gurugram told news agency IANS.

“The harmful particles and gases in polluted air, when inhaled, can lead to systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, which disturb gut health and impact the microbiome — the collection of trillions of bacteria in our intestines that play a critical role in digestion, immunity, and overall health,” Dr Sethi said.

The health experts recommend limiting outdoor activities during peak pollution times, typically in the early morning and evening; and using masks, especially in highly polluted environments.

READ | Construction Halted, Buses Restricted: Stricter Anti-Pollution Measures In Delhi

A thick blanket of smog covered the Taj Mahal on Thursday morning as the pollution levels worsened in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra. Visuals showed the UNESCO World Heritage site disappearing behind the smog, making it barely visible to tourists.

In one of the pictures, tourists can be seen walking towards the Taj Mahal, but with no visibility in front of them.

According to the Central Pollution of Control Board (CPCB) data, the air quality index in Agra stood at 193 in the ‘moderate’ category.

The minimum temperature in Agra stood at 17 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature is likely to settle around 30 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The weather department, in its bulletin, said that fog or mist would occur on Thursday. The dense fog is expected to continue till Monday, it said.

The increased smog and pollution are due to the rising stubble burning in nearby areas.

Last week, the Centre doubled the stubble burning fine in Delhi and adjoining areas due to the plummeting air quality. According to the new rules, farmers having land of less than two acres shall pay an environmental compensation of Rs 5,000, while the fine will be Rs 10,000 for farmers having land of two acres or more but less than five acres. Farmers having land of more than five acres shall pay an environmental compensation of Rs 30,000.

New Delhi:

Delhiites woke up to another smoggy morning with a thick layer of white blanket (smog) engulfing the city. The air quality index (AQI) at 6 am was recorded at 432, falling under the “severe” category”, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Low visibility due to heavy smog is likely to impact flights to and from various cities around Delhi. At 5:30 am, Amritsar and Pathankot airports in Punjab reported zero visibility. At 7 in the morning, visibility at Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur airport dropped to zero. 

#WATCH | Delhi: A thick layer of smog engulfs the Gazipur as the air quality deteriorates to ‘Severe’ category in several parts of the national capital, as per Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

AQI in Anand Vihar is at 473 pic.twitter.com/QuiRz7LAtv

— ANI (@ANI) November 14, 2024

Earlier in the morning, Indigo posted a travel advisory on social media X (formerly Twitter), urging passengers to keep a tab on their flight status as some flights might be delayed due to “winter fog”.

“This morning, winter fog may impact flights to/from Amritsar, Varanasi & Delhi. Do keep a tab on your flight status before heading to the airport. Also, please allow additional travel time as road traffic may move slower than usual due to low visibility. Thank you for your patience, and we wish you a smooth journey,” it wrote.

#6ETravelAdvisory : This morning, winter fog may impact flights to/from #Amritsar, #Varanasi & #Delhi. Do keep a tab on your flight status https://t.co/CjwsVzFov0 before heading to the airport. Also, please allow additional travel time as road traffic may move slower (1/2)

— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) November 13, 2024

A sharp spike in Delhi’s air pollution was witnessed in the past 24 hours with 30 out of 36 monitoring stations reporting severe air quality index.

Chandigarh, 250 km away from Delhi also reported a severe air quality index of 415

Smog chokes nearby Ghaziabad (AQI of 378), Noida (372), and Gurugram (323) with air quality plummeting to the “very poor” category.

Long-term exposure to “very poor” air quality can lead to respiratory. Whereas, severe AQI can affect even healthy people and seriously impact those with existing diseases.

Smog chokes Delhi and Chandigarh as Air Quality Index (AQI) hits ‘severe’ level at 6:30 am#AQI#DelhiAQI#AirPollution#Chandigarhpic.twitter.com/COTgnH5YmO

— NDTV (@ndtv) November 14, 2024

Owing to stronger winds, the pollutant concentration and thereby the AQI, is expected to start showing a declining trend from today onwards and the AQI is likely to move back to the “very poor” category, noted a report filed by the India Meteorological Department and IITM.

On Wednesday, the AQI turned “severe” for the first time this season. The Commission for Air Quality Management described “unprecedented extremely dense fog” as an “episodic event”.

It was decided to keep a close watch on the situation, before invoking the stringent measures under Stage-III of GRAP.