NEW DELHI: Delhi woke up to a thick blanket of fog this Thursday, causing significant delays in both train and air travel. The dense fog and poor visibility in the national capital have resulted in disruptions to the schedules of several trains and flights. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that this foggy spell might persist for the next two days.
Numerous trains, particularly those bound for Delhi, are experiencing delays. According to Deepak Kumar, the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) for Northern Railways, at least 11 Delhi-bound trains have been affected, including notable services like the Mumbai CSMT-Amritsar Express, Farakka Express, Lucknow Mail, and others.
Passengers are facing hardships due to these delays. Subhash, a traveler, mentioned, "Several trains are getting delayed. Eight trains that were supposed to arrive last night are still pending. Those scheduled for this morning are running late by almost 3-4 hours, and there's uncertainty about their arrival."
The impact on air travel has also been notable, with Mohd Shahrukh, a passenger, expressing frustration over a three-hour flight delay. "Our plans for an important event have been derailed due to this delay. Many people are encountering difficulties because of flight delays," he stated.
Visibility at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport improved today, although the morning witnessed extremely low visibility, dropping to 150 meters due to dense fog. The Runway Visual Range (RVR) has been fluctuating between 400 to 800 meters, according to IMD reports.
The India Meteorological Department has issued a dense fog advisory for several regions, including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, north Rajasthan, and north Madhya Pradesh. They advised caution while traveling, urging the use of fog lights and suggesting staying updated with transportation services regarding journey schedules.
IMD has warned of continued dense fog over the next three days in northwestern and parts of adjoining central India. Satellite imagery confirms the presence of widespread fog affecting the North India region.
Thursday morning witnessed a thick fog cover enveloping Delhi and neighboring areas, leading to significantly reduced visibility on roads and causing delays in numerous trains and flights. Yesterday alone, more than 20 trains and 134 flights were delayed due to the prevailing low visibility conditions.
