Dense fog disrupts flights, trains across North India

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a yellow alert for the morning in Delhi, warning of dense fog and cold wave-like conditions across the region.

Delhi's air quality remained in the 'very poor' category in the morning as several parts of the national capital woke up under a thick layer of smog. The combined impact of pollution and fog further reduced visibility, compounding travel disruptions.

Rail services were hit badly, with many trains running several hours behind schedule and some being diverted.

Flights in multiple cities, including Delhi, were also delayed, while the possibility of cancellations could not be ruled out.

According to railway officials, more than four dozen trains are running behind schedule due to dense fog across northern India. Train speeds have been reduced as a safety measure, leading to major inconvenience for passengers.

Among the worst-affected trains, the Prayagraj Express was delayed by around five hours, the Rewa-Anand Vihar Express by nearly nine hours, and the New Delhi Tejas Rajdhani Express by about four hours.

The Brahmaputra Mail was delayed by approximately 45 minutes, while the Mahabodhi Express and Sampurna Kranti Express were running four to five hours late.

Several other mail and express trains were also reported to be reaching their destinations hours behind schedule.

The impact of adverse weather was equally visible in air traffic operations. Several airlines, including SpiceJet, Air India and IndiGo, issued travel advisories for passengers, cautioning them about possible delays.

Both airlines and railway authorities urged passengers to check the status of their flights and trains before leaving for stations or airports.

SpiceJet, in a post on X, said, "Due to expected bad weather (poor visibility) in Delhi (DEL), Amritsar (ATQ), Jammu (IXJ), Ayodhya (AYJ), Gorakhpur (GOP), Varanasi (VNS), Darbhanga (DBR), Patna (PAT), Guwahati (GAU) and Bagdogra (IXB), all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights might get affected. Passengers are requested to keep a check on their flight status."

Air India had issued a weather-related advisory on social media on Saturday evening, stating, "Dense fog with reduced visibility is forecast for parts of northern India, including cities like Chandigarh, Amritsar, and Varanasi, tomorrow morning. This may impact flight operations to and from these cities."

IndiGo also advised its passengers to remain alert and keep checking their flight status through official platforms before heading to the airport.

In another post on X, the airline said, "The fog continues to linger over #Hindon (Airport), resulting in slower flight movements. Departures and arrivals to and from the city, as well as certain routes across our network, may experience short delays as we work through the weather conditions."

The Delhi Airport administration also warned that flight schedules could change due to low visibility conditions. More than ten flights were reported to be operating behind schedule at the Delhi airport.