Fog disrupts Delhi airport operations; 11 international, 5 national flights delayed

New Delhi [India], December 23 (ANI): Flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday were adversely affected due to a thick layer of fog that enveloped the national capital, affecting visibility.

As per Delhi Airport’s Flight Information Display System, a total of 11 international flights and 5 domestic flights to and from the airport were delayed today.

However, as of now, there is no official confirmation from the Ministry of Railways in connection to the delay of trains due to the fog in the national capital.

Meanwhile, according to the India Meteorological Department, the minimum temperature at Palam was recorded at 14°C while Safdarjung logged 12.2°C.

As the chill tightened its grip on the national capital, many were seen huddling around bonfires to keep themselves warm.

In the face of the biting cold, many were also seen taking refuge at a night shelter at AIIMS.

Similar scenes were also in evidence elsewhere, with locals under heavy blankets and quilts cooped up at night shelters in the Lodhi Road area.

Locals out for cycling or taking morning walks said the mercury fell significantly in the early hours of Saturday and the cold was extreme.

“It’s getting tougher for us to take morning strolls as the cold is extreme. The fog and pollution are further compounding the woes of regular commuters and morning walkers. We are having step outdoors wearing masks to keep out health problems caused because of pollution,” a local told ANI on Saturday.

The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi, according to SAFAR-India (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research), was recorded in the ‘Very Poor’ range at 8.07 am on Saturday.

The national weather forecasting agency earlier said the minimum temperature across North India was likely to increase by 2-3 degrees Celsius in Northern India over the next three days.