Dense smog blanketed Delhi for the first time this season on Wednesday pulling the visibility down to zero at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), and the lack of a strong breeze continued to prevent the dispersion of pollutants deteriorating the air quality to the top of the “severe” category at 418 AQI. Of the 36 monitoring stations in Delhi, 30 reported air quality in the ‘severe’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The first smog of this winter season affected multiple flight operations leading to diversion and delays at Delhi airport as well as several airports in north India. Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP has asked the Delhi government to urgently close all schools up to Class 5, as the national capital has turned into a gas chamber.
According to IGI airport sources, at least 10 flights were diverted from the airport. Six flights were diverted to Jaipur and one to Lucknow at 7 am due to bad weather. Zero-metre visibility was recorded at IGI airport at 8.30 am with the Runway Visual Range varying between 125 and 500 metres at different locations, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Sources added some flights have been delayed. The Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar, was unable to land in Ludhiana due to poor visibility. He was diverted to Amritsar, where he stayed for a few hours before returning. The IGI airport ranks amongst India’s most frequented aviation hubs.
While the airport continued operations at Delhi, flights not compliant with Category III (CAT III) landing systems, which are designed to allow landings in low-visibility conditions, were particularly affected. “Low visibility procedures” were put in place, with authorities cautioning that non-CAT III aircraft could face disruptions.
As the smog worsened, the airport authorities had to issue advisories regarding potential flight delays or diversions. “Flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected,” the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) posted on social media platform X.
This navigation system helps aircraft land safely in conditions of low visibility, but without it, flight operations can be severely disrupted. Several cities in north India, including the national capital, recorded visibility below 1000 metres and 500 metres. Similar smog was reported across northwest India with zero visibility reported at Amritsar and Hindon airports. Other airports which recorded low visibility were Patna (800 metres), Varanasi (800 metres), Agra (800 metres), Chandigarh (400 metres), Gorakhpur (200 metres), Deoghar (150 metres), Palam (100 metres), Hindon (100 metres), and Amritsar (50 metres).
Addressing a press conference, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Virendra Sachdeva said that both private and government schools should be shut down for the safety of children, given the alarming level of air pollution in the national capital and its adjoining regions. Meanwhile, the IMD said mostly smog prevailed across Delhi over the past two weeks. It added it was smog and not smog in the early hours of the day.
An average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 361 (very poor) was recorded at 8 am which later settled at 418, compared to 334 (very poor) at 4pm on Tuesday. Only Ayanagar out of the 36 monitoring stations recorded a severe average AQI of 417 at 8am. Lodhi Road (268) and Aurobindo Marg (275) recorded “poor” air quality. Overall, this was the 15th consecutive day of “very poor” air quality. Delhi overtook Pakistan’s Lahore as the world’s most polluted city in Swiss group IQAir’s live rankings, with an air quality index (AQI) score of more than 1,000, considered “hazardous”, but India’s pollution authority said the AQI was around 350.
Currently, Delhi is experiencing dangerously high AQI levels, often classified as ‘very poor’ or ‘severe.’ This uptick in pollution is largely due to several factors, such as vehicle emissions, industrial waste, and the burning of seasonal crops in nearby states. With winter’s arrival, the problem worsens due to temperature inversions that trap pollutants near the ground, creating dense smog. Delhi has now marked 15 consecutive days with air quality in the “very poor” category, which began on October 30 when the AQI hit 307. People are advised to stay updated on AQI readings daily so they can make informed choices about outdoor activities. In Delhi, vehicular emissions remain a top contributor to pollution, with an estimated share of 10% over the next two days.
Delhi recorded the fourth-worst air quality in the country, trailing behind Hajipur, Chandigarh, and Patna. Prominent pollutants in Delhi were particulate matter PM10, consisting of particles 10 micrometres or less in diameter.
