A thick blanket of toxic smog engulfed Delhi and the NCR on Monday morning. And then 40 flights were cancelled, with many others severely delayed.
That happened as the visibility dropped sharply, causing massive disruptions at Delhi Airport. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was sitting at a “severe” 454 at 7:05 AM, according to the CPCB’s Sameer app. The air quality had actually been slightly worse on Sunday, making it the second-worst December air quality day on record. This is a public health crisis, or nothing.
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Airport Chaos and Airline Advisories
The low visibility led to immediate travel chaos. Delhi Airport officials confirmed the flight cancellations and delays.
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Delhi Airport Advisory: The airport issued an advisory, warning that operations “may experience disruptions” and urging passengers to contact their respective airlines for the latest updates.
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Airline Warnings: Major carriers quickly followed suit.
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IndiGo, which has already been dealing with significant disruptions recently, warned that the “Low visibility and fog over #Delhi will impact flight schedules.” They also urged passengers to allow additional time for road travel, as the toxic haze would slow traffic to the airport.
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Air India also advised passengers to check their flight status before heading out.
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The Smog Situation: An Ongoing Crisis
The AQI readings were deep into the ‘severe’ category (401-500). Videos on social media showed a chilling layer of smog across the city.
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Hotspots: Readings showed the AQI hitting 493 at Akshardham and 474 at Barakhamba Road, confirming the toxic haze covered the entire national capital.
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GRAP Stage IV: In response to the crisis, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Saturday—the strictest level of pollution control.
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Ban: This includes a ban on all construction and demolition activities in the Delhi-NCR region.
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Work/School: The Delhi government also directed 50% of staff in government and private offices to work from home. All schools up to Class 11 (except Class 10) were ordered to run classes in hybrid mode (both physical and online).
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The flight disruptions are the immediate outcome, but the ongoing problem is the severe health risk posed by the air quality. It’s a fight against the pollution and the resulting lack of visibility that is currently crippling daily life.
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