300 flights, 56 trains delayed in fog-hit Capital

NEW DELHI: The Capital was enveloped in thick fog on Monday morning, the first day of the new year, and hundreds of passengers were stranded at the airport for several hours as flight operations were suspended after visibility on the runways dropped below 50 metres.

Train services too have been severely hit in Delhi and several other parts of north India.

Over 300 flights were delayed and eight cancelled as dense fog severely hampered visibility at the Indira Gandhi International airport here on Monday morning.

Nearly all flights arriving into and departing from Delhi were affected. About 265 domestic flights and 67 international flights were delayed.

There have been eight cancellations so far, all of which were domestic flights.

No take-offs could take place between 7:30 am to 9:30 am, according to an airport official. This was because runway visual range (RVR) was between 100-125 metres, while aircraft require more than 125 metres RVR for taking off.

While planes could land in Delhi, they were delayed because of the unavailability of parking bays, which were occupied by aircraft waiting for take-off, the official said.

There were no diversions to nearby airports due to fog, according to the official.

Vistara’s Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer, Sanjiv Kapoor, took to Twitter to describe the mess at Delhi airport on Monday morning.

“All departures were held up due to fog, arrivals not getting gates as all occupied by aircraft waiting to depart.

Departures are finally starting to happen now. Consequential delays expected through the day across the network,” Kapoor tweeted.

At the airport’s Terminal 1 or T1, the waiting hall and the area near the boarding gates were packed with people sitting on the floor and staircases waiting for information on their delayed flights.

Agitated passengers were seen confronting airlines staff at counters about the lack of clarity on information and announcements.

Fifty-six Delhi-bound trains are running late, and 20 have been rescheduled. 15 have been cancelled, the Northern Railways said.

Disturbingly, pollution levels in Delhi have shot up in Delhi since Sunday night.

The levels of Particulate Matter are in the “Very Poor” category, according to SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research).

It was nightmarish for commuters in the Capital on Monday.

The red arteries on the Google map near and around India Gate C- hexagon showed the state of traffic in the Capital where more than one lakh people gathered to celebrate New Year.

The Delhi Police had to temporarily close and divert some roads to India Gate in a precautionary measure to avoid more congestion.

There was also bumper-tobumper traffic on Barapulla flyover, Ashram Chowk, Sarai Kale Khan and ITO.

NEW DELHI: The first day of New Year was not very happy for Delhiites as air pollution levels showed a sharp rise.

The Air Quality Index of the Capital stayed above 400 which is considered as ‘severe’. The levels of lethal particulate matter hovered around the danger mark.

If it rises further and stay there for another four days, emergency pollution control measures like odd-even road rationing scheme and ban on construction activities will have to be brought back.

The pollution graph maintained by the Central Air Quality Monitoring Room of the CPCB was indicative of the rapid fall in air quality.

The high levels of moisture manifested itself in the form of fog, which in turn trapped particulates.

The levels will come down if the fog precipitates. The levels of PM2.5 and PM10 were 297 and 499.8 microgram per cubic metre (µg/m³) at 7 PM, within touching distance of the emergency levels.

“The air quality is likely to further deteriorate in the coming days and the government should implement the GRAP to control the situation without any delay,” said an official of Central Pollution Control Board.

The Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) formulated by the Supreme Court-appointed watchdog Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA), will come into play if this condition continues for more than 48 hours.

Delhi currently has three plans to control pollution and while one is being followed, there is no clarity on what is to be done with the other two -- one by the National Green Tribunal and the other by the Prime Minister’s pollution task force.

The spike in pollution comes weeks after the initial surge in November that was termed a “public health crisis” by doctors.

Doctors have said that if this condition continues then another “health emergency” situation is likely to occur.