Delhi plunges into thick smog for second consecutive day, AQI hits 432

Delhi battles severe smog for the second day

Delhi woke up to another dense blanket of smog on Thursday, with the city’s air quality plunging into the “severe” category for the second consecutive day. At 6 am, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at a staggering 432, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), signaling hazardous air quality levels that pose serious health risks.

The thick smog and low visibility have severely affected travel, with several airports in and around Delhi reporting disruptions. At 5:30 am, both Amritsar and Pathankot airports in Punjab were experiencing zero visibility, while visibility at Gorakhpur airport in Uttar Pradesh also dropped to zero by 7 am. The dense fog has led to a major disruption in air traffic, prompting airlines to issue advisories.

IndiGo, one of India’s largest carriers, posted a travel warning on social media, urging passengers to check their flight statuses due to potential delays caused by the thick winter fog. The airline specifically mentioned that flights to and from Amritsar, Varanasi, and Delhi could be impacted. “Please allow additional travel time as road traffic may move slower than usual due to low visibility,” the advisory read.

The city’s pollution levels have spiked sharply over the past 24 hours, with 30 out of 36 air quality monitoring stations across Delhi reporting “severe” AQI levels. The air quality in nearby areas like Ghaziabad (AQI 378), Noida (AQI 372), and Gurugram (AQI 323) also fell into the “very poor” category.

Chandigarh, located 250 km from Delhi, reported an AQI of 415, also in the “severe” range. The hazardous air quality in these regions is raising concerns about the health risks posed by prolonged exposure to such polluted air, which can lead to respiratory problems even in healthy individuals while posing serious threats to those with pre-existing health conditions.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) have reported that stronger winds are expected to begin clearing the air, with a gradual decline in the AQI from Wednesday onwards. Despite this, the air quality is likely to remain in the “very poor” category for the time being.

The dense smog and severe pollution levels have raised alarms among authorities, with the Commission for Air Quality Management calling the fog an “episodic event” and noting that it is the first time this season that the AQI has reached “severe” levels.

The Commission has stated that it will continue to monitor the situation closely and may invoke stricter measures under Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) if the conditions do not improve.

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