Dense fog disupted flight and rail operations in Delhi as poor visibility forced delays and cancellations at IGI Airport and railway stations. Pollution hotspots including Anand Vihar, Mundka and ITO recorded AQI levels well above 400, raising serious health concerns
BY PC Bureau
NEW DELHI, December 23: Dense smog continued to blanket the national capital on Tuesday morning, sharply reducing visibility and keeping air quality in the ‘severe’ category. Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 414 around 7 am, according to data from the Sameer app.
Several areas recorded alarmingly high pollution levels, with Anand Vihar registering an AQI of 466, followed by Mundka (451), Ashok Vihar (444) and the ITO area (436). Major landmarks, including India Gate, Kartavya Path and Rashtrapati Bhavan, were shrouded in thick toxic haze, with AQI readings crossing 400.
Air quality across the wider National Capital Region (NCR) also remained grim. Noida recorded an AQI of 426, while Ghaziabad stood at 415, both falling in the ‘severe’ category, highlighting the spread of the pollution episode beyond Delhi.
According to PTI, dense fog disrupted flight and rail operations across the city. On Monday, more than 500 flights were delayed and at least 14 flights were cancelled at the Indira Gandhi International Airport due to poor visibility and adverse weather conditions. Rail services were also affected, with several trains running behind schedule and some cancelled, causing inconvenience to passengers.
With pollution levels worsening, authorities invoked Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-IV) to curb emissions. Truck-mounted water sprinklers were deployed across multiple parts of the city to suppress dust and reduce particulate matter.
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देश के 233 शहरों का वायु गुणवत्ता सूचकांक (AQI) जानने के लिए नीचे दिए गए लिंक पर क्लिक करें।
लिंक: https://t.co/KpDyt9Eyz5#SameerApp #CPCB #AQIUpdate #AirQualityIndex@byadavbjp @KVSinghMPGonda @moefcc @mygovindia @PIB_India pic.twitter.com/SZUMYSmKJz
— Central Pollution Control Board (@CPCB_OFFICIAL) December 22, 2025
As per AQI norms, values between 401 and 500 are classified as ‘severe’, posing serious health risks to all residents.
Meanwhile, dense to very dense fog continued to affect large parts of the northern plains. Although Delhi’s AQI showed marginal fluctuations, it remained in the very poor to severe range. The lowest visibility was recorded at just 150 metres at Palam during the early hours. At IGI Airport, more than 500 flights were delayed and 14 cancelled, while several trains were delayed by at least 30 minutes.
Weather officials said conditions may gradually improve as the prevailing western disturbance weakens and wind speeds increase. Fog intensity is expected to reduce until December 26, though air quality is likely to remain very poor. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has not issued any colour-coded alerts till December 28, forecasting shallow to moderate fog and surface winds of up to 20 kmph during the day.
Meteorologists cautioned that another weak western disturbance between December 28 and 31 could bring calmer winds and a fresh spell of dense fog. “As the current system weakens, cold northwesterly winds will dominate, reducing fog but also leading to a drop in temperatures,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet.
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Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 21.8°C on Monday, while the minimum stood at 11°C. The minimum temperature is expected to fall sharply to between 6°C and 8°C by December 25, with daytime temperatures likely to remain below 20°C from December 24 onwards.
Separately, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) reviewed existing anti-pollution measures at its 26th full commission meeting. The panel reiterated the Supreme Court’s December 17 order withdrawing protection for BS-III and older vehicles, directing agencies to take strict action against highly polluting vehicles, while BS-IV and newer vehicles continue to remain exempt from coercive measures.
