Delhi: Dense fog delays over 100 flights, 30 trains
What's the story
Delhi witnessed dense fog and cold wave again on Tuesday causing disruptions to flights and trains. Numerous passengers were stranded at the airport and railway stations for hours. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that visibility at Palam and Safdarjung Airports was under 500 meters in the morning. As a result, over 100 flights were delayed and 17 flights were canceled at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Delhi recorded the coldest morning of the season on Sunday, with the mercury dropping to 3.5 degrees Celsius. Sub-zero temperatures and dense fog over the Indo-Gangetic Plain in the hills have made commuting extremely difficult. This resulted in severe disruption of flight operations at the Delhi airport. Neighboring states also saw delays in train and flight operations.
Details
17 flights canceled, over 100 flights delayed at Delhi airport
According to the flight tracker website flightradar24, over 100 flights were delayed at the Delhi airport due to adverse weather conditions. Per ANI, at least 17 flights were canceled due to low visibility amid dense fog. The situation prompted authorities to implement Low Visibility Procedures at the airport. Meanwhile, at least 30 trains at New Delhi Railway Station were also running late on Tuesday.
Twitter Post
List of trains delayed amid bad weather
30 trains to Delhi from various parts of the country are running late due to dense fog conditions as on 16th January. pic.twitter.com/v9g14OlFwR
— ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2024
What Next?
Passengers struggle with delays and cancellations
Travelers are facing a tough time due to the extensive delays and cancellations. A video surfaced on social media on Tuesday where flyers of IndiGo Airlines could be seen having dinner on the runway after a flight was delayed for hours and later diverted. Multiple users on X said that a Goa-Delhi flight was delayed for 18 hours on January 14. Frustrated, the passengers of the - 6E2195 flight - took rest on the tarmac sitting next to their aircraft.
Twitter Post
Watch: Passengers eating food on the tarmac
And we thought this would only happen at a railway station. Passengers of IndiGo Goa-Delhi who after 12 hours delayed flight got diverted to Mumbai having dinner just next to the Indigo plane (by the way, most of our railway stations seem to be smarter than ever before!) 😊👍 pic.twitter.com/bjFFMMd76n
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 15, 2024
Insights
Cold wave, fog to continue in Delhi: IMD
The minimum temperature in the national capital was recorded at 4.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, according to the IMD. An orange alert has also been issued for Delhi on Tuesday and Wednesday, predicting cold waves and fog to continue. "We will also continue to see dense to very dense fog in the early hours, which can impact flights, trains, and road travel," IMD scientist, Kuldeep Srivastava said.
DGCA
DGCA issues SOP for airports amid adverse weather
Amid unfavorable weather, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has released standard operating procedures (SOP) for airlines. Airlines have the right to cancel flights that are predicted to be delayed or "consequentially delayed" for longer than three hours, according to a crucial SOP regulation. It said the purpose of this strategic move was to reduce passenger annoyance and expedite the operational reaction to fog-related interruptions.
Details
Fog patches affecting northern and north-eastern states
Meanwhile, the IMD revealed that fog patches are also affecting airports in northern and northeastern states. The weather agency stated, "Layer of fog is seen from Punjab to northeast India across Haryana, North MP, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal at 0530 hrs IST." Airports in cities such as Varanasi, Agra, Gwalior, Jammu, Pathankot, and Chandigarh experienced zero visibility due to dense fog conditions.
Details
Civil Aviation Minister released statement
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday addressed the delay in flights due to the weather conditions in North India. "The authorities were compelled to enforce a shutdown of operations for some time even on CAT III runways (CAT III runways cannot handle Zero-Visibility operations). The decision was taken keeping passenger safety in mind...," the minister posted on X. He also mentioned the steps being taken by the ministry to ensure smooth operations in the future.
Twitter Post
Passenger safety, foremost priority: Scindia
Yesterday, Delhi witnessed unprecedented fog wherein visibility fluctuated for several hours, and at times, dropped to zero between 5 AM to 9 AM.
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) January 15, 2024
The authorities, therefore, were compelled to enforce a shut-down of operations for some time even on CAT III runways (CAT III…