Delhi continues to face hazardous air quality and dense fog this morning, with adverse weather conditions disrupting both daily life and air travel.
As of 8:02 am local time on Saturday, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) remained at 431, placing it in the ‘Hazardous’ category. PM2.5 levels reportedly stood at 289 micrograms per cubic metre, while PM10 levels were recorded at 405 micrograms per cubic metre, far above permissible limits. The capital’s air quality is currently about 1.6 times worse than the national average.
In India, the Air Quality Index (AQI) categorises polluted air into six levels: Good (0–50 AQI), Satisfactory (50–100), Moderate (100–200), Poor (200–300), Very Poor (300–400), and Severe (400–500).
Winter conditions intensified across large parts of the country from January 10, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing warnings for cold wave, cold day and dense fog across north and central India.
In Delhi-NCR, cold wave and cold day conditions are likely at isolated places, accompanied by dense fog during morning and late-night hours. The minimum temperature in the national capital dropped to 4.6 degrees Celsius, about 2.3 degrees below the seasonal average.
Dense fog continues to blanket the city, sharply reducing visibility and trapping pollutants near the surface amid high humidity and light winds. The unfavourable weather conditions have also disrupted aviation operations, leading to delays of flights at airports.
IndiGo Airlines, in a travel advisory issued on X, said, “Delhi and Hindon airports continue to remain wrapped in chilly winter air and lingering fog this morning. The fluctuating visibility has led to changes in flight schedules, and operations may be slower than usual as conditions evolve.”
The airline added that “teams on-ground are prioritising safety and compliance with visibility requirements,” and advised passengers to keep track of their flight status.
IndiGo further cautioned that low visibility conditions over Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jammu, Patna, Udaipur, and Varanasi may also impact flight schedules, while assuring passengers that efforts are underway to ensure smooth operations once weather conditions improve.
SpiceJet also posted on its X handle, stating that “due to bad weather in Amritsar (ATQ) and Varanasi (VNS), all departures and arrivals and their consequential flights may be affected.” The airline has requested passengers to regularly check their flight status before heading to the airport.
Passengers travelling today are advised to remain alert, expect possible delays, and allow extra time for airport travel as foggy conditions persist across north India.
