The India Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for Saturday, cautioning about dense fog across the city and predicting that the unfavorable weather conditions were likely to persist throughout the day.
The Delhi-NCR on Saturday, December 20, experienced extreme fog, significantly impacting visibility and causing widespread disruption throughout the city. Major roads and residential areas were blanketed in low visibility conditions, with visuals depicting thick fog enveloping large sections of the national capital.
Delhi International Airport Ltd. announced that Low Visibility Procedures were in effect from the early morning due to the dense fog, although flight operations were ongoing, with delays expected. Meanwhile, air quality remained critically poor at numerous monitoring stations across the city.
IMD issues Orange alert
Visuals from various areas of the national capital revealed roads covered in thick fog, prompting motorists to drive cautiously due to the poor visibility. The India Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for Saturday, cautioning about dense fog across the city and predicting that the unfavorable weather conditions were likely to persist throughout the day.
AQI crosses 400+ mark in several areas
In addition to the extreme fog, pollution levels across Delhi remained in the “very poor” to “severe” categories. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board indicated that several areas registered Air Quality Index (AQI) readings well above 400. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 423, ITO 429, Vivek Vihar 425, Jahangirpuri 420, Nehru Nagar 418, and Wazirpur 417. Punjabi Bagh reported an AQI of 413, Mundka 412, Okhla Phase II 408, Ashok Vihar and Rohini each at 407, DTU 406, and Dwarka 401.
Other parts of the city also continued to report extremely poor air quality. Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium recorded an AQI of 380, North Campus 382, Narela 383, Sirifort 394, Patparganj 398, Sonia Vihar 390, NSIT Dwarka 372, Burari and RK Puram 374 each, Alipur 358 and Bawana 357. Chandni Chowk recorded an AQI of 323, Dilshad Garden 333, Lodhi Road 335, Mandir Marg 342, IIT Delhi 327 and IGI Airport 314. Aya Nagar and Najafgarh reported relatively lower but still poor AQI readings of 292 and 298, respectively.
Flight services affected
On Friday, severe fog caused substantial disruptions, leading to the cancellation of at least 177 flights and delays for over 500 at Delhi airport, as reported by officials. Flightradar24’s data confirmed approximately 500 delayed flights throughout the day. Airport authorities noted that operations were maintained under CAT III conditions, which allow landings in extremely low visibility; however, delays were unavoidable.
In response to the chaos, the Ministry of Civil Aviation issued a passenger facilitation advisory on Friday evening, mandating that airlines rigorously comply with regulations to protect passenger safety and ensure their comfort. The ministry’s directive included requirements for airlines to provide prompt and accurate flight updates, offer meals and refreshments during extended delays, facilitate rebooking or refunds for canceled flights, and prevent denial of boarding to passengers who had checked in on time.
The advisory also included mandates for assistance during flight diversions, specific support for individuals with disabilities, efficient baggage handling, and effective grievance redressal mechanisms. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has been assigned the responsibility of monitoring compliance with these guidelines.
In light of the ongoing dense winter fog affecting parts of North India, airlines issued updated advisories. Air India announced that fog conditions were expected to impact flight operations at Delhi and other airports, including Amritsar, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Varanasi, and Patna, potentially creating a ripple effect across its entire network
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: dnaindia.com
