Delhi Chokes Under Severe Air Pollution: AQI Reaches 456, Flight and Train Operations Disrupted

The Delhi Airport has issued an advisory for travelers as severe smog engulfs the capital.

New Delhi:

A thick blanket of smog continued to envelop Delhi and surrounding regions Monday morning, with air quality remaining in the 'severe' category, severely limiting visibility and causing significant disruptions to flight and train schedules. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) website, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital measured 456 at 6 am, marking the season's second-worst air quality reading.

This follows Sunday's AQI of 461, which ranks as the second-worst air quality day ever recorded in the city.

For reference, an AQI between zero and 50 is classified as 'good', 51-100 as 'satisfactory', 101-200 as 'moderate', 201-300 as 'poor', 301-400 as 'very poor', and readings between 401 and 500 fall into the 'severe' category.

Footage revealed a dense layer of toxic air surrounding Delhi's Akshardham, where the measured AQI reached an alarming 493.

#WATCH | A thick layer of smog engulfs the National Capital. Visuals from the Akshardham area. AQI here is 493, categorised as 'severe' as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) pic.twitter.com/b9k9fthFDk

Additional videos documented severely reduced visibility across numerous locations, including the Barapulla flyover with an AQI of 433, and Barakhamba Road where the AQI was recorded at 474.

#WATCH | A thick layer of smog engulfs the National Capital. Visuals from the Barapullah flyover. AQI here is 433, categorised as 'severe' as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) pic.twitter.com/3FX7wR5LQx

#WATCH | A thick layer of smog engulfs the National Capital. Visuals from Barakhamba Road. AQI here is 474, categorised as 'severe' as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) pic.twitter.com/VNpgxMF0z7

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has activated an 'orange' alert for dense smog today.

The hazardous air quality has drastically reduced visibility throughout the capital, resulting in approximately 100 flight cancellations and more than 300 delays at Delhi airport, as reported by flight tracking service FlightRadar24.

Delhi Airport released an advisory for passengers stating: "Due to dense fog, flight operations may experience disruptions. We are working closely with all stakeholders to minimise inconvenience to passengers. For the latest flight updates, passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines. We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused."

Update issued at 06:12 hours.Kind attention to all flyers!#Fog #FogAlert #DelhiAirport pic.twitter.com/qjVGEBhPxu

IndiGo airline also issued a notification informing travelers about potential flight cancellations and delays: "Due to dense fog in Delhi this morning, visibility has reduced drastically, impacting flight operations. As a precaution, some flights may be proactively cancelled through the day to prioritise safety and help minimise extended waiting at the airport. We understand how inconvenient this can be, especially when travel plans are important. Please be assured that our teams across airports are working continuously to manage operations as smoothly as possible, and keep you informed as the situation evolves."

Travel AdvisoryDue to dense fog in Delhi this morning, visibility has reduced drastically, impacting flight operations. As a precaution, some flights may be proactively cancelled through the day to prioritise safety and help minimise extended waiting at the airport.We…

In a subsequent announcement, IndiGo urged passengers to allocate additional travel time when planning their journey to the airport, as road traffic may be moving slower due to the toxic haze.

Air India's advisory stated: "Poor visibility due to dense fog is impacting flight operations in Delhi and parts of Northern India."

#TravelAdvisoryPoor visibility due to dense fog is impacting flight operations in Delhi and parts of Northern India. Please check your flight status at: https://t.co/6ajUZVeeIM before heading to the airport.

More than 90 trains arriving to and departing from Delhi faced delays of six to seven hours due to the extremely low visibility conditions.

On Saturday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) implemented the most stringent measures (Stage IV) under its Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for air pollution control, including a comprehensive ban on all construction and demolition activities throughout Delhi-NCR following the sharp rise in pollution levels amid unfavorable weather conditions. Additionally, the Delhi government mandated that 50 percent of staff in both government and private offices work remotely, while all schools up to Class 11 (except Class 10) were instructed to adopt a hybrid teaching model combining both in-person and online instruction.