Delhi woke up to hazardous conditions on Monday with a mix of dense fog and severe air pollution enveloping the city. The Air Quality Index (AQI) soared beyond 400, categorizing it as ‘severe’ and significantly reducing visibility. More than half of Delhi’s air quality monitoring stations reported AQI levels exceeding 400, indicating extremely dangerous air quality levels.
The most polluted areas included Vivek Vihar with an AQI of 458, Anand Vihar at 459, Wazirpur at 444, and Rohini at 445, with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) being the primary pollutant. The situation was worsened by dense fog, leading to poor visibility in Delhi and surrounding regions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a ‘red alert’ for very dense fog in most parts of the capital, advising caution while driving and outdoor activities.
The dense fog caused significant disruptions, with visibility dropping sharply and traffic moving slowly. At Delhi airport, visibility decreased to around 125 meters, affecting flight operations. Airlines issued advisories due to fluctuating visibility, delays, and cancellations, emphasizing passenger safety as a priority. Ground staff were deployed to assist passengers, and rail services were also impacted, with several trains running behind schedule.
