50 flights, 10 trains delayed as dense fog envelopes Delhi again
At least 50 flights and 10 trains were delayed with dense fog enveloping Delhi on Tuesday morning and plunging the visibility up to 50 metres for over four hours even as the air quality was likely to deteriorate to severe category and the minimum temperature continued to rise.
The intensity of morning fog earlier reduced on January 17 after more than 600 flights were delayed and 100 cancelled over three previous days as visibility dropped to zero at times. The disruption in the air traffic prompted the government to step in and seek measures including acceleration of work on runways undergoing maintenance.
Flight delays in Delhi impact operations across the country as the Capital is the main hub and the most frequent connection point.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the fog intensified under the impact of a western disturbance, which was also expected to bring drizzle on Wednesday accompanied by gusty winds of 30-40 km per hour.
An IMD official said the visibility dropped to around 50 metres at Palam and Safdarjung. Factors such as dew point temperatures in the range of 10-11°C and the wind speed of three to seven km per hour led to the dense fog.
The minimum temperature rose to 8.7°C. It has risen by nearly four degrees over the last four days. The mercury plunged to 4.3°C on Saturday, 6°C on Sunday and 6.8°C on Monday. The minimum temperature is expected to hover around 10°C on Wednesday due to cloudiness.
The IMD official said a fresh western disturbance was approaching Delhi. “The prevailing western disturbance, although feeble, is also bringing moisture. The fresh western disturbance is more active and should bring sufficient moisture to bring light rain to the plains of the National Capital Region on Wednesday and Thursday.”
The maximum temperature was expected to hover between 21-22°C on Tuesday and Wednesday compared to 22°C on Monday.
The average air quality index (AQI) of 364 (very poor) was recorded at 9am compared to 356 (very poor) at 4pm on Monday.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas held an emergency meeting on Monday as forecasts showed the air quality was likely to worsen to severe zone.
It decided against invoking Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan for pollution mitigation. In a statement on Monday, the commission said its sub-committee noted the projected spurt in Delhi’s average AQI for Tuesday. It added the projection was likely for a short duration and that air quality was likely to return to the very poor category due to gusty winds with a probability of rain. Delhi’s average AQI for subsequent days was expected to remain in poor or very poor categories.