As cold wave conditions continued in the national capital, dense fog enveloped large parts of Delhi on Saturday morning, leading to poor visibility and disruptions across transport networks. As a result, several flights at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport faced delays, prompting authorities to advise passengers to check flight status with airlines before heading to the airport.
Visibility Remains Low Despite Slight Temperature Rise
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported a marginal improvement in minimum temperatures. The mercury settled at 7°C on Saturday morning, compared to 4°C recorded on Friday. However, despite this slight rise, dense fog during the early hours continued to affect road, rail, and air traffic across the city.
Air Quality Continues to Worsen
In addition to weather-related challenges, air pollution remained a major concern. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 368 around 7 am on Saturday, placing it firmly in the ‘very poor’ category.
Consequently, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Friday implemented Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the entire National Capital Region as a preventive step to curb further deterioration.
GRAP Stage III Measures Come into Force
As reported by TOI, under Stage III of GRAP, authorities enforced several restrictions aimed at reducing emissions. These include bans on the plying of BS-IV diesel and BS-III petrol vehicles, introduced to counter rising pollution levels caused by calm winds and the accumulation of pollutants.
Explaining the rationale, CAQM stated that weather forecasts from IMD and IITM indicate slow wind speeds, a stable atmosphere, and unfavourable meteorological conditions. Therefore, Delhi’s average AQI is likely to cross the 400 mark and enter the ‘severe’ category in the coming days. Notably, the average AQI at 4 pm on Friday rose to 354, up from 343 on Thursday, while measures under Stages I and II of GRAP continue to remain in force.
Cold Wave Eases, But Temperatures Stay Below Normal
Meanwhile, the cold wave that gripped the city for five consecutive days finally ended on Friday. Nevertheless, temperatures remained below seasonal norms. The minimum temperature settled at 4.3°C, which is three degrees below average, while Thursday recorded 2.9°C, the lowest January temperature in three years. The maximum temperature on Friday rose to 22.5°C, compared to 19.5°C on Thursday.
Fog Impacts Early Morning Travel
According to IMD data, Delhi experienced dense fog, with minimum visibility dropping to 150 metres at Palam at 7.30 am and at Safdarjung at 8 am. Although flight operations at IGI Airport reported only minor delays, authorities continued to monitor conditions closely. IMD has forecast maximum temperatures of 21–23°C and minimum temperatures of 6–8°C for Saturday and issued a yellow alert for dense fog in isolated areas.
Nine-Point Action Plan Under GRAP Stage III
With immediate effect, CAQM announced a nine-point action plan under Stage III of GRAP. Key measures include:
- Restrictions on construction and demolition activities
- Curbs on the plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel light motor vehicles (four-wheelers) in Delhi and districts of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddha Nagar, with exemptions for persons with disabilities
- Restrictions on Delhi-registered diesel-operated medium goods vehicles of BS-IV standard or below, except those carrying essential commodities
- Prohibition on the entry of BS-IV diesel-operated light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi
Together, these measures aim to prevent further deterioration of air quality across the NCR amid persistent adverse weather conditions.