According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi is 381, with several other areas hitting severe levels, including Anand Vihar (410), Ashok Vihar (413), Bawana (401), and ITO(401).
The national capital is battling with severe air pollution, with AQI crossing the 450 mark, reaching the ‘severe plus’ category, prompting CAQM to impose stage IV restrictions of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The severe air pollution levels and dense smog prompted Delhi airport, IndiGo and Air India to issue travel advisories, as flight operations are disrupted, with over 400 flights delayed and 61 cancelled at Indira Gandhi International Airport, according to reports.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi is 381, with several other areas hitting severe levels, including Anand Vihar (410), Ashok Vihar (413), Bawana (401), and ITO(401).
At least 228 flights, including 131 departures and 97 arrivals, have been cancelled in Delhi, while five others have been diverted, due to low visibility amid a thick layer of toxic haze on Monday.
Delhi Airport and IndiGo issue advisory
Delhi Airport advised passengers to contact their airlines for accurate and timely updates, as disruptions may persist for certain departures and arrivals. IndiGo on Tuesday said, “As winter sets in, early mornings across Northern India can bring fog that may occasionally slow down flight movements. We wanted to share this gentle heads-up in advance, so you can plan with ease and check your flight status before heading to the airport http://goindigo.in/check-flight-status.html. Please be assured that our teams are well prepared and closely monitoring weather conditions. Wherever possible, we are making thoughtful adjustments on the ground to reduce inconvenience and ensure any waiting time is as comfortable as possible. Thank you for your understanding and for placing your trust in us. We’re here to take care of you and to make your journey as smooth as we can.”
Air India issues advisory
Air India issued travel advisory, stating, “Dense fog enveloping Delhi and parts of Northern India early this morning caused flight disruptions across airlines, leading to significant air traffic congestion at the Delhi Airport and parking bay constraints, among multiple other challenges. Regrettably, several Air India flights had to be delayed and/or cancelled, which had a cascading, network-wide impact on our flight schedules as a result. While such unavoidable conditions are beyond airline control, our teams are working around the clock to assist affected guests with rebookings or full refunds if their flights were cancelled.”
“The India Meteorological Department forecasts similar fog conditions tomorrow (16 Dec), with significantly reduced visibility expected, especially in the morning hours. Accordingly, we have proactively cancelled select flights scheduled for tomorrow. To minimise inconvenience, we have activated our Fog Care programme, whereby passengers booked on affected or likely-to-be-affected flights are being notified in advance and automatically offered complimentary rescheduling or a full refund without penalty. Impacted guests will also be contacted directly on their registered mobile numbers and email addresses. In case you do not hear from us, it is likely that the contact information recorded in your booking is that of your travel agent or of someone who may have made the booking on your behalf, in which case the notification would have been sent to them,” it added.
Delhi Schools shift to online mode
The Delhi Government issued a circular directing schools to shift to online mode from hybrid for students up to class 5. The government has directed schools to switch to online mode for these grades until further notice.As per the circular dated December 15, physical classes for students from nursery to Class 5 have been discontinued across all government, government-aided and unaided private recognised schools in Delhi. “In view of the prevailing high AQI levels in Delhi, it has been decided that classes in physical mode for students of Nursery to Class V are discontinued till further orders,” the order read.
