Toxic fog is suffocating in Delhi, air services disrupted due to zero visibility, 228 flights cancelled.

On Tuesday too, a blanket of dense poisonous fog blanketed the national capital Delhi, reducing visibility to zero and severely affecting road, rail and air traffic. According to India Today report, this dangerous condition has led to road accidents and disrupted many flights. At least 228 flights (131 departures and 97 arrivals) were canceled at Delhi airport, while five other flights were diverted due to poor visibility.

Due to rising air pollution levels in the national capital, the Delhi government on Monday issued a circular directing schools to shift from hybrid mode to online mode for students up to Class 5.

With the air quality index (AQI) continuing to remain in the severe category, the government has directed schools to switch to online mode for these classes until further orders.

On Monday, the Civil Aviation Ministry stepped up surveillance of flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport as dense fog conditions persisted across northern India, severely affecting visibility and air control.

In a post on Twitter, the ministry said senior officials visited the airport operations control center on Monday to review real-time operations and assess the ground situation.

“In view of the dense fog prevailing at Delhi Airport, senior officials of the Ministry visited the Airport Operations Control Center and reviewed the actual operations,” the Civil Aviation Ministry said. The ministry further said, “Airports have been directed to maintain close coordination with stakeholders, ensure timely dissemination of information and ensure passenger convenience. Passenger safety and smooth operations are our top priority.”

Delhi’s weather update today

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Tuesday, predicting moderate fog in the morning and dense fog in some areas. The department has also predicted strong winds at speeds of 15-25 km/hr during the day, which may help in the spread of pollutants. The minimum temperature is expected to drop to around 8 degrees Celsius.