Delhi Air Quality Dips To "Very Poor"; Visibility Reduced To Near Zero
Delhi, India: Air quality of Delhi dipped again, plunging to “very poor”. Dense fog wrapped the national capital and surrounding areas on Wednesday morning. Cold wave conditions persisted in the region and visibility dropped to zero in many places, posing a risk to rail and flight operations. The temperature was marked as 9 degree Celsius in the morning.
Weather office predicted fog again in the evening and night. At least seven flights have been cancelled and 184 others delayed so far. Airport asked fliers to stay updated. At least 26 trains bounds for Delhi are also running late.
“While landings and take-offs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Any inconvenience is deeply regretted”, said Delhi Airport in repeated alerts.
Also Read: Thick Fog Envelops National Capital, Flights Delayed
After a brief improvement in the air quality earlier this week, the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded a concerning 344 at 8 am, as per data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The figure is a significant drop from the 250, which marked the air quality “poor” on Tuesday.
The India Meteorological Office (IMD) had forecast dense fog in the morning and a cloudy sky later in the day. Forecast of rainfall on January 15 and 16 offers hope for some improvement in the AQI. The visibility is near to zero in parts of Delhi, as cities remain in severe cold wave.
Rainfall on Sunday temporarily improved air quality across Delhi-NCR. Subsequently, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) relaxed restrictions under Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The relaxation allowed activities such as private construction and demolition, in-person classes for students up to Year 5, and the operation of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles, as well as non-essential BS-IV diesel medium goods vehicles.
Also Read: Cold Wave Conditions Intensify In North India; IMD Issues Warning
An AQI between 201 and 300 is classified as ‘poor’, 301 to 400 as ‘very poor’, and readings above 400 fall into the ‘severe’ category.
