Delhi wakes up to dense smog again as AQI stays severely toxic; low visibility to hit flights today

DElhi woke up to a thickly mantle of smogginess on mon too, with broadcast quality remaining firmly in the ‘severe’ category across the national capital. The Air Quality Index (AQI) reading overall stood at 457 at 6 am, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, as visibility dropped sharply in several areas.Flights from Delhi were also likely to be affected as both the airport and airlines issued advisories.Visuals from across the city showed a dense haze hanging in the air, making it difficult to see even a short distance ahead.In the early hours, visibility plunged to as low as 50 metres at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport around 7 am, according to the India Meteorological Department.The IMD had issued a dense fog warning for the morning and forenoon hours, with conditions reported from the Safdarjung observatory. The maximum temperature in Delhi was recorded at 23°C, while the minimum settled at 8°C.Low visibility across cityVideos shared by ANI showed a thick layer of smog engulfing multiple parts of Delhi, in Barakhamba Road, which recorded an AQI of 474, in the ‘severe’ category vehicles can be seen battling the haze.In the Akshardham area, the AQI was recorded at 493, categorised as ‘severe’ by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Similar conditions were reported from Dwarka Sector-14, where the AQI stood at 469.The pollution board classifies air quality as “moderate” when the AQI is between 101 and 200, “poor” between 201 and 300, and “very poor” between 301 and 400. Beyond 400, air quality is termed “severe”. For the purpose of mitigation measures, 450 and above is termed “severe plus”, with CPCB values not going beyond 500 — a threshold already considered seriously dangerous by the agency.Delhi airport, IndiGo issue advisoryFlight operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport were impacted on Monday amid dense fog and low visibility conditions. Authorities and airlines issued advisories, warning passengers of possible delays and disruptions.The Delhi Airport, in an advisory posted on X, said, “Due to dense fog, flight operations may experience disruptions. We are working closely with all stakeholders to minimise inconvenience to passengers. For the latest flight updates, passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines. We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused.”IndiGo also alerted passengers to delays, citing poor visibility over Delhi. “Low visibility and fog over #Delhi will impact flight schedules. We're keeping a close watch on the weather and doing our best to get you where you need to be, safely and smoothly. We request you to stay updated on your flight status via our website or app. Be assured, our teams are here to assist you at every step and ensure support,” the airline said in a post.In a separate update, IndiGo urged travellers to factor in additional travel time while heading to the airport, as road traffic was moving slower due to the toxic haze. "Our teams are closely monitoring the situation and will keep you updated. As conditions improve, we will continue departures with safety at the forefront," it added.Several Delhi stations hit the maximum AQI limitThe situation worsened over the weekend, with air quality deteriorating sharply on Sunday. At least three monitoring stations — Wazirpur, Rohini and Ashok Vihar — recorded a 24-hour average AQI of 500, the maximum level reported by the CPCB.Since the AQI scale does not go beyond 500, actual exposure levels, particularly hourly readings, were likely even higher. Data showed that 38 of the 39 active monitoring stations in Delhi remained in the ‘severe’ or ‘severe-plus’ categories at various times on Sunday. At least 13 stations reported AQI levels above 490 for several hours.Among the worst-affected areas were Jahangirpuri and Mundka, both recording an AQI of 499, followed by Bawana (498), Delhi Technical University (497), Vivek Vihar (497), Narela (493), Anand Vihar (492), IHBAS in Dilshad Garden (491) and Okhla Phase-2 (490). The best air quality on Sunday was recorded at Shadipur, which still remained in the ‘very poor’ category with an AQI of 375.