134 flights delayed, 22 trains running late as dense fog grips Delhi

New Delhi [India]: A dense layer of fog engulfed the national capital as cold wave gripped the city, leading to train and flight delays in Delhi, causing inconvenience to passengers on Thursday. 

Visuals from the Indira Gandhi International Airport showed passengers queuing up at the gates of the airport amid intense fog. 

The Delhi airport reported delays in flight operations affecting approximately 134 flights, both arrivals and departures (domestic and international), due to fog. While 35 international flight departures got delayed from Delhi, 28 international arrivals got delayed as well. On the other hand, 43 domestic departures and 28 domestic arrivals got delayed. 

As many as 22 trains were delayed at the New Delhi Railway Station as well, amid low visibility. Trains like the Howrah New Delhi Rajdhani and Jammu Tawi Rajdhani were running late for more than an hour. Visuals from the station showed several passengers waiting amid intense cold. 

The IMD had forecast that the temperature on Thursday would hit a low of 7.8 degrees Celsius, with the maximum at 22 degrees Celsius. 

Earlier on Wednesday, the IMD issued a dense fog alert for the national capital. “It is to inform to all that Dense fog has already set in over some pockets of Delhi including at IGI Airport Palam since 0830pm today of 27th Dec 2023,” the IMD said in a post on ‘X’. 

“Dense fog warning for Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi: Very dense fog in night & morning hours till 30th Dec. morning and Dense fog on 31st Dec. 2023,” it said in another post. 
The weather office also stated that the visibility at Delhi-Palam Airport droped from 100 meter at 2130 IST to 50 meter at 2200 IST on Wednesday. 

The cold weather condition however did not deter a group of bikers from venturing out on Kartavya Path early morning on Thursday. 
“It is foggy and cold. Yet cycling is most fun in this season…It is important to get out. Whatever dreams we see in our beds will come true only when we get out,” one of the bikers said. 

Stressing the importance of using fog light in this season, the fitness enthusiast said, “It is important to use fog light whether you are on a bicycle or a car. I think it will keep you 50 per cent safe.” 

The biker also said that, though one should not exert themselves in the winter months, some light exercise is essential. 

“You should engage in light exercises in winter and not exert yourself. But some activity is essential,” he added. 

Meanwhile, rehearsals are underway for the Republic Day parade at Delhi’s Kartavya Path amid intense fog. 

In Ghaziabad, parents have demanded schools timings to be revised keeping in view the cold weather conditions. 

“Due to excessive cold, children are facing problems. They are suffering from cough and cold. It is difficulty to wake up in the morning. We demand the administration to change the school timings. If the temperature dips furhter in the coming days, school timings should be changed keeping that in mind,” one of the parents said.