Delhi-NCR: Life in is disrupted by dense fog; aviation operations are affected, and CAT III procedures are triggered
Delhi-NCR: Residents of Delhi-NCR had a bleak start to the year 2025 as dangerous air quality, extreme cold, and thick fog interfered with everyday life over most of North India.
Thousands of commuters and passengers experienced delays and inconveniences due to a severe decrease in temperature, poor visibility, and high levels of pollution that greatly affected road, rail, and air traffic.
The NCR region’s minimum temperatures ranged from 6 to 9 degrees Celsius, exacerbating the cold wave conditions. The nation’s capital was engulfed in a dense layer of fog from early in the morning, making it almost impossible to see in many places. Due to a combination of fog and haze, important areas including Anand Vihar, ITO, AIIMS, Ashoka Road, India Gate Circle, and Mahatma Gandhi Marg had very poor visibility, making it necessary for cars to travel slowly. Several arterial routes reported traffic congestion, and drivers were seen depending extensively on fog lights.
The Indira Gandhi International Airport’s air traffic operations were also impacted by the thick fog. Authorities at Delhi Airport posted a passenger caution on social media site X, saying: “Flight operations are currently being conducted under CAT III protocols, which may result in delays or cancellations, due to prevailing dense fog conditions.” To guarantee a seamless travel experience, our ground workers are there and actively helping passengers. Please contact your individual airlines for the most recent flight updates. We deeply apologize for any inconvenience.
Although CAT III procedures enable airplanes to land in very poor visibility, they often result in schedule interruptions and slower flight flow. Consequently, a number of morning arrivals and departures experienced delays.
IndiGo, the biggest airline in India, also warned travelers of potential delays in northern India in a travel alert on X. “There are fog conditions throughout Delhi and a number of airports in northern India this morning,” the airline said. As the day goes on, airplane arrivals and departures might be affected if low visibility conditions continue.
The airline went on to say that it was keeping a careful eye on the situation and modifying its operations to minimize any disturbance. Because fog may also influence traffic on the roads, travelers were encouraged to check the status of their flight before leaving for the airport and to leave additional time for travel.
Forecasters have advised commuters to use care while traveling, warning that foggy conditions might continue in the days ahead. As winter conditions tighten their hold on the area, authorities have urged residents to keep informed via official warnings and refrain from needless travel in the early morning hours.