Delhi Gas Chamber: Thick Smog Disrupts Flights as Air Quality Plummets to ‘Very Poor’
AQI in Delhi: Aya nagar, Anand Vihar and Delhi University’s North Campus recorded the worst air quality in the city with air quality crossing over 400 on Wednesday, which falls under the severe category, according to the data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
In Short
- Visibility reduced to almost zero in severall regions in Delhi
- Delhi’s AQI recorded at 349 on Wednesday morning
- IGI Airport warns of possible flight disruptions as it recorded near-zero visibility
Delhi’s air quality deteriorated to the “very poor” category on Wednesday morning, with a thick layer of smog engulfing the city. Due to low visibility, the Indira Gandhi International Airport diverted a few flights heading to the national capital.
The air quality Index (AQI) has worsened from 316 on Tuesday evening to 370 on Wednesday morning. Several regions in the capital region recorded an AQI of over 300.
Aya nagar, Anand Vihar and Delhi University’s North Campus recorded the worst air quality in the city with air quality crossing over 400 on Wednesday, which falls under the severe category, according to the data by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Other areas which had an AQI of above 300 include Anand Vihar, which recorded an AQI of 396, Jahangirpuri, which recorded an AQI of 389, ITO with an AQI of 378 and IGI Airport with an AQI of 368, according to the data.
Visibility has already improved to 400 meters in areas like Safdarjung. However, in parts of Punjab and Haryana, the visibility is likely to remain poor till afternoon.
Visuals from several parts of the city showed visibility dropping to near zero, with cars using fog lights on the roads.
“While landings and take-offs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted.”
Visuals from the Delhi-Meerut Expressway also showed the visibility reducing to near-zero in the region.
This smoke, combined with dust particles, serves as nucleation sites for water vapour, facilitating heterogeneous condensation. This process allows fog to quickly condense in the region, reducing visibility drastically, especially at ground level.
POOR VISIBILITY HITS FLIGHTS IN AMRITSAR, VICE PRESIDENT’S LANDING ALSO AFFECTED
Smog in Punjab caused flight disruptions at Amritsar International Airport last night, with three Delhi-bound flights cancelled and several others delayed. Sandeep Aggarwal, Director of the Sree Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport, confirmed that visibility dropped significantly, leading to the cancellations of two Air India flights and one Indigo flight.
Aggarwal added that the situation has improved, and delays have been reduced as visibility returned to normal.
The Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar, was unable to land in Ludhiana due to poor visibility. The smog, caused by farm fires, has affected visibility across the region.
