Dense fog disrupts flights and trains in New Delhi

Spicejet

26/12/2023 06:33

NEW DELHI, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Flight and rail services
in India's capital city of New Delhi were disrupted on Tuesday
morning as a thick layer of fog enveloped the region, reducing
visibility to barely 50 metres (164 feet) in some areas. 
    "Very dense fog" was observed in the city, where the
temperature was just 9 degrees Celsius (48 degrees Fahrenheit),
India's weather department said, adding "dense to very dense
fog" was likely in the early hours of the day in some areas
until Wednesday. 
    "Dense fog" contains particulate matter and other
pollutants, according to the weather department, which warned of
the impact this may have on the health of the city's 20 million
residents.
    New Delhi's air quality index stood at 376 on Tuesday
morning, rated as "very poor", according to the Central
Pollution Control Board's website. Levels of 0 to 50 are
considered to be good. 
    At least 30 flights that were to land at or depart from the
Delhi airport, including on international routes, experienced
delays because of the dense fog, according to Indian news agency
ANI, in which Reuters has a minority stake.
    About 14 trains travelling along routes in North India were
similarly affected, ANI reported. 
    "While landings and takeoffs continue at Delhi Airport,
flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected," the
Indira Gandhi International airport said on social media
platform X, formerly known as Twitter. 
    CAT III is a navigation system that enables aircraft to land
even when the visibility is low. 
    Airlines like India's SpiceJet  SPJT.NS  also took to social
media to warn passengers that departures and arrivals from New
Delhi may get affected "due to bad weather". 
    Other parts of North India, including the states of Punjab
and Uttar Pradesh, reported similar weather conditions on
Tuesday morning, with temperatures ranging between 6 C and 10 C
(43 F to 50 F) in most places, the weather department said. 

 (Reporting by Sakshi Dayal; Editing by Jamie Freed)
 ((Sakshi.Dayal@thomsonreuters.com;))