A thick layer of fog continued to blanket large parts of northern India early Saturday, severely disrupting air, rail and road transport across several states, with Delhi bearing the brunt of the impact. In the national capital, sharply reduced visibility paralysed daily life, triggering widespread delays, cancellations and safety concerns.
Operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport were among the worst affected as persistent low visibility led to the cancellation of 129 flights in the early hours. Airport authorities confirmed that 66 inbound and 63 outbound services were called off, while numerous other flights were delayed or rescheduled. Although CAT III low-visibility procedures were activated to allow limited aircraft movements, the extreme conditions continued to constrain operations. Visibility dropped to as low as 200 metres at Safdarjung and 350 metres at Palam by 8.30 am, impacting major airlines including IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet and Akasa.
Foggy conditions extended beyond the airport, slowing traffic on key roads and in residential areas across Delhi. Commuters faced prolonged travel times as dense fog reduced visibility to dangerous levels. The India Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for the city, cautioning that dense to very dense fog would persist through the day, with a likelihood of intensification during early morning and late evening hours, potentially causing further disruption to transport services.
Delhi International Airport Ltd stated that Low Visibility Procedures had been in place since early morning and urged passengers to remain in close contact with airlines for real-time updates. Travellers were advised against heading to the airport without confirming flight status, as continued delays and cancellations were anticipated.
Amid the widespread disruption, the Ministry of Civil Aviation had earlier directed airlines to strictly follow passenger facilitation norms during low-visibility operations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has been tasked with monitoring compliance, particularly in ensuring timely communication regarding delays, cancellations and diversions. Existing regulations require airlines to provide meals, hotel accommodation or alternative travel arrangements in the event of extended delays, while passengers affected by last-minute cancellations are entitled to full refunds or alternate flights at no extra cost.
The impact of the fog was felt across several northern states. Flight operations were disrupted at Dehradun airport, while rail services in multiple regions ran behind schedule due to near-zero visibility. Similar conditions were reported from Jammu, where dense fog affected both air and surface transport. Weather officials have forecast rainfall in the plains and snowfall in higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir from Saturday evening, which could further complicate travel.
In Bihar, fog led to delays and cancellations at Patna airport, while Punjab continued to reel under dense fog coupled with biting cold. Hoshiarpur recorded the lowest temperature in the region at 4.8 degrees Celsius, and Chandigarh also remained enveloped in fog with sharply reduced visibility. Uttar Pradesh witnessed similar conditions, with fog affecting normal life in several districts. The Taj Mahal in Agra was partially obscured, while poor visibility and cold wave conditions were reported from Kanpur and Mathura.
Compounding Delhi’s troubles, air quality remained at alarming levels. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board showed the city’s overall Air Quality Index at 376 at 7 am, placing it in the “very poor” category. Several locations, including ITO, Vivek Vihar, Anand Vihar, Jahangirpuri, Nehru Nagar and Wazirpur, recorded AQI levels above 400, classified as “severe,” intensifying health concerns as residents grappled with the combined effects of pollution and extreme weather.
