Flights, trains delayed as dense fog blankets national capital

On Sunday morning, the National Capital experienced another cold day with temperatures in single digits, causing disruptions in transportation. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported reduced visibility at Delhi-Palam, decreasing from 400 meters at 2:00 am to 0 meters since 3:00 am.

According to the IMD, the minimum temperature in Delhi on Sunday morning was 8.5 degrees Celsius. The IMD’s observation noted, “Fog layer is very clearly visible over the plains of north India from Punjab to Bihar across Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, northwest Rajasthan, and north Madhya Pradesh at 6:30 am today.” Dense to Very Dense Fog was reported in isolated pockets over Delhi, North Haryana, West Uttar Pradesh, and West Madhya Pradesh.

Several passenger trains heading to the national capital, including the Amritsar-Nanded Express, Puri-New Delhi Purushottam Exp, Ambedkarnagar-Katra, and Manikpur-Nizamuddin Express, were delayed due to dense fog conditions, with approximately 11 trains affected, according to the northern railways.

Delhi airport also faced disruptions, with delayed and canceled flights causing inconvenience to passengers. Neha Beniwal, a passenger from Bahrain, mentioned, “My flight was delayed because of fog. It was supposed to land here at 4:45 am, but it landed at around 5:35 am.” An advisory from Delhi airport authorities urged passengers to check with the respective airlines for updated flight operations.

The IMD forecasted Very Dense fog conditions on January 22, with foggy conditions expected to persist until January 27. As the cold wave continued, people were seen gathering around bonfires to stay warm. The situation mirrored Saturday, where low visibility in various parts of Northern India disrupted travel plans for both train and air passengers.