Delhi gas chamber: Thick smog diverts flights, air quality drops to 'very poor'

AQI in Delhi: Aya nagar, Anand Vihar and Delhi University's North Campus recorded the worst air quality in the city with air quality crossing over 400 on Wednesday, which falls under the severe category, according to the data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

In Short

• Visibility reduced to almost zero in severall regions in Delhi
• Delhi's AQI recorded at 349 on Wednesday morning
• IGI Airport warns of possible flight disruptions as it recorded near-zero visibility

Delhi's air quality deteriorated to the “very poor” category on Wednesday morning, with a thick layer of smog engulfing the city. Due to low visibility, the Indira Gandhi International Airport diverted a few flights heading to the national capital.

As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), very dense fog began forming at around 5.30 am, due to which visibility was reduced across the city.

The air quality Index (AQI) has worsened from 316 on Tuesday evening to 370 on Wednesday morning. Several regions in the capital region recorded an AQI of over 300.

Aya nagar, Anand Vihar and Delhi University's North Campus recorded the worst air quality in the city with air quality crossing over 400 on Wednesday, which falls under the severe category, according to the data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Other areas which had an AQI of above 300 include Anand Vihar, which recorded an AQI of 396, Jahangirpuri, which recorded an AQI of 389, ITO with an AQI of 378 and IGI Airport with an AQI of 368, according to the data.

Delhi's 24 hour average AQI was recorded at 361 at 8 am on Tuesday.

The visibility in Delhi is expected to clear by noon, aided by low-level surface winds and the urban heat island effect. Visibility has already improved to 400 meters in areas like Safdarjung. However, in parts of Punjab and Haryana, the visibility is likely to remain poor till afternoon.

Visuals from several parts of the city showed visibility dropping to near zero, with cars using fog lights on the roads.

The Indira Gandhi International Airport issued an advisory and said that flights which were not compliant with CAT III would be affected due to the fog.

"While landings and take-offs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted."

Visuals from the Delhi-Meerut Expressway also showed the visibility reducing to near-zero in the region.

One of the primary factors contributing to this dense fog is the presence of densely concentrated smoke in the atmosphere. This smoke, combined with dust particles, serves as nucleation sites for water vapour, facilitating heterogeneous condensation. This process allows fog to quickly condense in the region, reducing visibility drastically, especially at ground level.

POOR VISIBILITY HITS FLIGHTS IN AMRITSAR, VICE PRESIDENT’S LANDING ALSO AFFECTED

Smog in Punjab caused flight disruptions at Amritsar International Airport last night, with three Delhi-bound flights cancelled and several others delayed. Sandeep Aggarwal, Director of the Sree Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport, confirmed that visibility dropped significantly, leading to the cancellations of two Air India flights and one Indigo flight.

Aggarwal added that the situation has improved, and delays have been reduced as visibility returned to normal.

The Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar, was unable to land in Ludhiana due to poor visibility. He was diverted to Amritsar, where he stayed for a few hours before returning. The smog, caused by farm fires, has affected visibility across the region.

(With inputs from Ashutosh Mishra)