New Delhi: Dense fog and adverse weather conditions in Delhi led to significant delays and cancellations in both domestic flights and long-distance trains.
At least 22 domestic departures experienced delays, affecting thousands of travellers, while 5 flights were cancelled. International air travel seemed comparatively less impacted, with 17 international flights arriving in India and 9 international departures taking place.
The morning witnessed ongoing disruptions in the movement of flights and passenger trains to and from the national capital. Delays and cancellations created challenges for passengers, particularly in domestic air travel.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported a drop in temperature to 4.7 degrees Celsius in Delhi on Friday. Key temperature readings included 4.4 degrees Celsius at Lodhi Road and Safdarjung, 4.9 degrees Celsius at Ayanagar, 3.2 degrees Celsius at Ridge, and 7.1 degrees Celsius at Palam.
Northern Railways reported that approximately 34 long-distance trains to Delhi faced delays on Friday due to fog and poor visibility conditions. Travellers arriving in Delhi on January 26 experienced substantial delays, with over 34 trains running behind schedule.
The Puri-New Delhi Purushottam Express topped the list, running a remarkable 6 hours and 30 minutes behind schedule. Other notable delays included the Kanpur-New Delhi Shramshakti Express (2 hours 30 minutes late), the Katihar-Amritsar Express (3 hours 45 minutes late), and the Saharsa-New Delhi Vaishali Express (2 hours 30 minutes late).
Rajdhani Express trains were also affected, including the Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express (2 hours 30 minutes late), the Rajendranagar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express (3 hours 30 minutes late), and the Bhubaneshwar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express (6 hours 30 minutes late).
The IMD categorises fog levels as 'very dense' when visibility is between 0 and 50 metres, 'dense' at 51 to 200 metres, 'moderate' at 201 to 500 metres, and 'shallow' at 501 to 1,000 metres. The persistent weather conditions have led to disruptions in transportation and inconveniences for travellers in the region.