New Delhi, Dec 31, 2025: Dense fog and severe air pollution disrupted normal life across Delhi-NCR on Wednesday morning, slowing road traffic, delaying flights and pushing air quality levels into the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories, officials said.
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index stood at 384 at 7 a.m. Several monitoring stations recorded severe pollution levels, with Anand Vihar at 452, ITO at 426, RK Puram at 411, Chandni Chowk at 419 and Dwarka Sector 8 at 414. IGI Airport’s Terminal 3, Najafgarh and Aya Nagar remained in the ‘very poor’ category.
Low visibility due to dense fog was reported from several areas, including Ghaziabad’s Indirapuram, Noida’s Botanical Garden Metro Station and Delhi’s Akshardham area. Vehicles were seen moving at a slow pace as early-morning commuters navigated fog-covered roads.
Flight operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport were conducted under CAT III conditions, leading to delays and cancellations, airport authorities said. CAT III allows aircraft to land in extremely low visibility but often results in slower operations.
“Due to prevailing dense fog conditions, flight operations are currently being conducted under CAT III protocols, which may lead to delays or cancellations,” Delhi Airport said in an advisory. “Our ground teams are actively assisting passengers to ensure smoother movement.”
Rail services were also affected, with several trains running behind schedule due to poor visibility. Passengers were seen waiting at stations across the capital as train movement remained slow.
Authorities advised travellers to check with airlines and railways for updated schedules as foggy conditions persisted through the morning.
