Fog, Cold And Pollution Hit Delhi-NCR; Flights, Trains Disrupted Across North India

New Delhi: Dense fog, biting cold and polluted air disrupted normal life across Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on Wednesday, with poor visibility, slowing roads and intensifying the chill. The conditions triggered air and rail disruptions, leaving passengers stranded.

Flights were cancelled or delayed under CAT III operations at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, while trains ran hours late.

Trains Hit by Dense Fog

Low visibility conditions badly affected air and rail traffic in the national capital, leading to multiple cancellations and long delays, especially on routes connecting eastern, southern and western India.

Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station

(Trains from Maharashtra and southern India)

• Mahakaushal Express (12189): Delayed by 3 hours 42 minutes
• Mumbai–Nizamuddin Express (22221): 2 hours 15 minutes late
• Marathwada Sampark Kranti (12753): 2 hours 05 minutes late
• Kalinga Utkal Express (18478): 1 hour 50 minutes late
• Kalinga Utkal Express (18477): 1 hour late
• Goa Sampark Kranti (12449): 1 hour 23 minutes late
• Other trains, including Mangala Lakshadweep Express, Sachkhand Superfast, Golden Temple Mail and Intercity Express, were delayed by 30 minutes to 2.5 hours.

Anand Vihar Terminal

(Trains from eastern India are the worst affected)

• Garib Rath Express (22405 – Bhagalpur): 6 hours 08 minutes late
• West Bengal Sampark Kranti (12329): 5 hours 23 minutes late
• Agartala Tejas Rajdhani (20501): 4 hours 10 minutes late
• Jansadharan Express (13257): 3 hours 45 minutes late
• Mu–Anand Vihar Superfast (22539): 1 hour 22 minutes late
• Satyagrah Express: 1 hour 06 minutes late

New Delhi Railway Station

Even premium services failed to maintain schedules amid near-zero visibility.

• Sealdah Rajdhani (12313): 5 hours 14 minutes late
• Ranchi Garib Rath (12877): 5 hours 18 minutes late
• Howrah Rajdhani (12301): 5 hours 05 minutes late
• Bhubaneswar Tejas Rajdhani (22823): 5 hours late
• Dibrugarh Rajdhani (12423): 4 hours 54 minutes late
• Geeta Jayanti Express (11841): 4 hours 47 minutes late
• Kanpur Shatabdi (12033): 1 hour 44 minutes late
• Several others, including Karnataka Superfast, Magadh Express, Shri Shakti AC Superfast and Jhelum Express, were delayed by 1 to 4 hours.
• Passengers were seen waiting for hours at major railway stations amid biting cold as train movement remained slow due to fog.

Flights Cancelled, Delayed at IGI Airport

Flight operations at IGI Airport were conducted under CAT III conditions, resulting in multiple delays and cancellations. Airlines, including IndiGo and Air India, cancelled several services, while others operated with long delays. Airport authorities said ground teams were deployed to assist passengers and advised travellers to check flight status before heading out.

Weather Conditions Remain Severe

A thick blanket of fog covered Delhi and adjoining NCR areas during early morning hours, reducing visibility to near zero in several locations. Key stretches like Anand Vihar, ITO, AIIMS, Ashoka Road, and India Gate Circle witnessed extremely poor visibility, forcing vehicles to crawl and causing traffic congestion.

Minimum temperatures across the NCR ranged from 6°C to 9°C, intensifying cold wave conditions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for dense fog, warning that such conditions may persist. A change in weather is expected around January 1, 2026, with light rain likely, followed by a dip in temperatures.

Air Quality Slips Into ‘Severe’ Category

Air quality in the national capital deteriorated further, with the average AQI recorded at 384, placing Delhi in the very poor to severe category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

Several monitoring stations reported severe air quality, including Anand Vihar, ITO, RK Puram and Chandni Chowk. At the same time, parts of Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad and Ghaziabad also remained in the very poor to severe range. Pollution experts warned that dense fog, low wind speed and cold conditions could further worsen air quality in the coming days. Railway and airport authorities have advised passengers to check the latest train and flight status before travelling, as fog-related disruptions may continue.

Also Read:

1. Light Snowfall Turns Gulmarg Into Winter Wonderland Ahead Of New Year; Flights Cancelled At Srinagar Airport
2. Multiple Weather Systems To Trigger Rain, Snow, Fog And Cold Wave Across India Till January 2