New Delhi: Continuing its relentless presence, dense fog in Delhi-NCR led to the disruption of over 100 flights on Thursday, impacting both rail and road traffic. The mercury dropped to 8.4 degrees Celsius, just one notch above the seasonal average.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert, cautioning residents to brace themselves for the harsh weather conditions. The advisory emphasized the importance of taking precautionary measures due to significantly reduced visibility across various parts of the city.
At 5:30 a.m., Palam reported a mere 25 meters of visibility, while Safdarjung station recorded 50 meters. The IMD categorizes fog intensity into four types—shallow, moderate, dense, and very dense—ranging from 999 meters to 500 meters, 499 meters to 200 meters, 199 meters to 50 meters, and less than 50 meters, respectively.
The impact of the cold wave was most pronounced during the morning commute, causing delays in both air and rail travel. Numerous flights faced delays or cancellations due to poor visibility, disrupting passengers’ travel plans. Train schedules, including those of the Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Jammu Tawi – New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Tamil Nadu Express, and Golden Temple Mail, were thrown off track, inconveniencing commuters reliant on rail transport.