Over 129 flights cancelled as extreme fog blinds Delhi-NCR
Dense fog has severely disrupted air, rail and road transport across northern India, with Delhi facing major flight cancellations and poor visibility.
Extreme fog continued to blanket large parts of northern India early Saturday, disrupting air, rail and road transport across several states, with Delhi bearing the brunt as 129 flights were cancelled at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
DELHI-NCR HIT HARD
In the national capital, dense fog sharply reduced visibility and disrupted movement across roads and transport corridors, even as air quality remained alarmingly poor in several areas.
According to airport sources, 129 planned flights were cancelled on Saturday, 66 arrivals and 63 departures, due to persistent low-visibility conditions. Several other flights were delayed or rescheduled.
Delhi airport operations were being managed under CAT III low-visibility conditions, with landings and take-offs continuing under restrictions. Flightradar data showed delays across carriers including IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet and Akasa.
Low visibility prevailed across major arterial roads and residential areas, with visuals showing thick layers of fog engulfing large swathes of the city. Motorists were seen driving cautiously as visibility dropped sharply in many locations. The lowest visibility recorded till 8.30 am stood at 200 metres at Safdarjung and 350 metres at Palam.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for Delhi, warning of dense to very dense fog and cautioning that adverse weather conditions were likely to persist through the day.
The weather office said fog conditions would remain severe during early morning and late evening hours, increasing the risk of disruptions to road, rail and air travel.
Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said Low Visibility Procedures (LVP) were in force at IGI Airport from early morning.
In a passenger advisory, DIAL said flight operations were continuing, though delays and cancellations were likely due to weather-related restrictions. Passengers were advised to check flight status with their respective airlines before heading to the airport.
GOVT STEPS IN
Amid widespread fog across northern India, the Ministry of Civil Aviation on December 19 directed airlines to strictly follow passenger facilitation norms during low-visibility conditions.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been asked to ensure compliance, with airlines mandated to provide timely updates on delays, rescheduling, cancellations and diversions across all communication channels.
For delays beyond prescribed limits, airlines must offer meals, re-routing or rescheduling without extra charges, and hotel accommodation for overnight disruptions. In case of short-notice cancellations, passengers must be given a full refund or alternate travel at no additional cost.
Airlines have also been instructed to ensure proper arrangements for diverted flights and compensate passengers for lost, delayed or damaged baggage as per rules.
AIR, RAIL DISRUPTED ACROSS STATES
Dense fog also disrupted transport services in several northern states.
At Dehradun Airport, low visibility impacted flight operations, with passengers advised to check flight status before travel. Rail services in the city were also affected, with several trains running late as visuals from Dehradun railway station showed near-zero visibility conditions.
In Jammu, thick fog blanketed the city, reducing visibility and affecting both air and surface transport. The Meteorological Department has forecast rainfall in the plains and snowfall in higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir from Saturday evening, which could bring temporary relief from the cold and fog.
In Bihar, several flights were delayed and a few cancelled due to dense fog, with visuals emerging from Patna airport.
Across Punjab, dense fog and cold conditions disrupted daily life. Hoshiarpur emerged as the coldest place in the region, recording a minimum temperature of 4.8 degrees Celsius on Friday. Chandigarh also witnessed dense fog, with landmarks around Sukhna Lake enveloped in low visibility.
In Uttar Pradesh, fog continued to impact normal life. The Taj Mahal in Agra remained partially obscured behind a thick layer of fog, while Kanpur and Mathura reported poor visibility amid cold wave conditions.
Alongside the extreme fog, pollution levels in Delhi remained in the “very poor” to “severe” categories. According to CPCB data at 7 am, the overall AQI stood at 376.
Several areas recorded AQI readings above 400, including ITO (429), Vivek Vihar (425), Anand Vihar (423), Jahangirpuri (420), Nehru Nagar (418) and Wazirpur (417). Punjabi Bagh logged 413, Mundka 412, Okhla Phase II 408, Ashok Vihar and Rohini 407 each.
Extreme fog continued to blanket large parts of northern India early Saturday, disrupting air, rail and road transport across several states, with Delhi bearing the brunt as 129 flights were cancelled at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
DELHI-NCR HIT HARD
In the national capital, dense fog sharply reduced visibility and disrupted movement across roads and transport corridors, even as air quality remained alarmingly poor in several areas.
According to airport sources, 129 planned flights were cancelled on Saturday, 66 arrivals and 63 departures, due to persistent low-visibility conditions. Several other flights were delayed or rescheduled.
Delhi airport operations were being managed under CAT III low-visibility conditions, with landings and take-offs continuing under restrictions. Flightradar data showed delays across carriers including IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet and Akasa.
Low visibility prevailed across major arterial roads and residential areas, with visuals showing thick layers of fog engulfing large swathes of the city. Motorists were seen driving cautiously as visibility dropped sharply in many locations. The lowest visibility recorded till 8.30 am stood at 200 metres at Safdarjung and 350 metres at Palam.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for Delhi, warning of dense to very dense fog and cautioning that adverse weather conditions were likely to persist through the day.
The weather office said fog conditions would remain severe during early morning and late evening hours, increasing the risk of disruptions to road, rail and air travel.
Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said Low Visibility Procedures (LVP) were in force at IGI Airport from early morning.
In a passenger advisory, DIAL said flight operations were continuing, though delays and cancellations were likely due to weather-related restrictions. Passengers were advised to check flight status with their respective airlines before heading to the airport.
GOVT STEPS IN
Amid widespread fog across northern India, the Ministry of Civil Aviation on December 19 directed airlines to strictly follow passenger facilitation norms during low-visibility conditions.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been asked to ensure compliance, with airlines mandated to provide timely updates on delays, rescheduling, cancellations and diversions across all communication channels.
For delays beyond prescribed limits, airlines must offer meals, re-routing or rescheduling without extra charges, and hotel accommodation for overnight disruptions. In case of short-notice cancellations, passengers must be given a full refund or alternate travel at no additional cost.
Airlines have also been instructed to ensure proper arrangements for diverted flights and compensate passengers for lost, delayed or damaged baggage as per rules.
AIR, RAIL DISRUPTED ACROSS STATES
Dense fog also disrupted transport services in several northern states.
At Dehradun Airport, low visibility impacted flight operations, with passengers advised to check flight status before travel. Rail services in the city were also affected, with several trains running late as visuals from Dehradun railway station showed near-zero visibility conditions.
In Jammu, thick fog blanketed the city, reducing visibility and affecting both air and surface transport. The Meteorological Department has forecast rainfall in the plains and snowfall in higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir from Saturday evening, which could bring temporary relief from the cold and fog.
In Bihar, several flights were delayed and a few cancelled due to dense fog, with visuals emerging from Patna airport.
Across Punjab, dense fog and cold conditions disrupted daily life. Hoshiarpur emerged as the coldest place in the region, recording a minimum temperature of 4.8 degrees Celsius on Friday. Chandigarh also witnessed dense fog, with landmarks around Sukhna Lake enveloped in low visibility.
In Uttar Pradesh, fog continued to impact normal life. The Taj Mahal in Agra remained partially obscured behind a thick layer of fog, while Kanpur and Mathura reported poor visibility amid cold wave conditions.
Alongside the extreme fog, pollution levels in Delhi remained in the “very poor” to “severe” categories. According to CPCB data at 7 am, the overall AQI stood at 376.
Several areas recorded AQI readings above 400, including ITO (429), Vivek Vihar (425), Anand Vihar (423), Jahangirpuri (420), Nehru Nagar (418) and Wazirpur (417). Punjabi Bagh logged 413, Mundka 412, Okhla Phase II 408, Ashok Vihar and Rohini 407 each.