More than 200 flights were delayed at the Delhi airport on Tuesday morning amid dense smog, reported the Hindustan Times.
The Delhi airport warned that while operations were steadily recovering after hundreds of cancellations on Monday, flight disruptions “may persist for certain departures and arrivals”.
On Monday, there were more than 800 delays at the airport, over 220 cancellations and five diversions, according to the newspaper.
The airport operator on Tuesday urged passengers to contact the airlines for “accurate and timely updates”. “Our personnel are available across terminals to assist passengers and provide necessary support,” it said.
Air India said that the dense fog enveloping Delhi and parts of northern India had disrupted flights across airlines, leading to traffic congestion at the airport and other challenges.
Several Air India flights had also been delayed or cancelled, which had a “cascading, network-wide impact” on the airline’s schedule, it added.
Air India said that its staff was working assisting passengers with rebookings or refunds if their flights were cancelled.
The airline also said that the India Meteorological Department has forecast fog conditions for Wednesday, with significantly reduced visibility expected in the morning.
“Accordingly, we have proactively cancelled select flights scheduled for tomorrow,” stated Air India. “To minimise inconvenience, we have activated our Fog Care programme, whereby passengers booked on affected or likely-to-be-affected flights are being notified in advance and automatically offered complimentary rescheduling or a full refund without penalty.”
The airline also advised passengers travelling on Wednesday to check their flight schedule on the website before arriving at the airport.
IndiGo issued a similar advisory for the passengers, saying that the airline was “well prepared and closely monitoring weather conditions”.
“Wherever possible, we are making thoughtful adjustments on the ground to reduce inconvenience and ensure any waiting time is as comfortable as possible,” it added.
AQI improves slightly
This came as the air quality in Delhi improved marginally to the “very poor” category on Tuesday from “severe plus” on Monday.
The national capital’s average Air Quality Index stood at 376 at 9.05 am, according to data from the Sameer application, which provides hourly updates published by the Central Pollution Control Board.
Eleven of the city’s 40 monitoring stations recorded AQI readings above 400.
Delhi’s air quality had deteriorated sharply in the past few days. The capital’s average AQI rose from 307 on Thursday to 349 on Friday and 431 on Saturday, before touching 461 on Sunday.
On Monday, the average air quality in the city stood at 427.
An index value between 301 and 400 indicates “very poor” air. Between 401 and 450 indicates “severe” air pollution, while anything above the 450 threshold is termed “severe plus”.
An AQI in the “severe” and “severe plus” category signifies hazardous pollution levels that can pose serious risks even to healthy individuals.
The deterioration in the air quality has been attributed to unfavourable weather conditions, including very low wind speeds caused by a western disturbance.
Delhi and the National Capital Region are under Stage 4 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan to curb pollution. The restrictions came into force on Saturday.
GRAP is a set of incremental anti-pollution measures that are triggered to prevent further worsening of air quality once it reaches a certain threshold in the Delhi-NCR region.
This was the first time this season that Stage 4 restrictions, triggered when the AQI breaches the 450 mark, were enforced in Delhi-NCR.
The curbs include a ban on the entry of trucks into the region, a halt on construction activities for public and private projects, and a shift to hybrid mode for schools, except Class 10 and Class 12.
Amid the high pollution levels, the Delhi government on Monday directed schools to shift to online mode, from hybrid, for students up to Class 5, reported Hindustan Times.
Delhi-NCR has been recording air quality in the “poor” or worse categories since mid-October.
Air quality deteriorates sharply in the winter months in Delhi, which is often ranked the world’s most polluted capital. Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, vehicular pollution, along with the lighting of firecrackers during Diwali, falling temperatures, decreased wind speeds and emissions from industries and coal-fired plants contribute to the problem.
Also read:
- Coastal cities may no longer offer escape from air pollution
- Why air quality numbers in Delhi vary widely
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