Delhi was engulfed by a thick blanket of hazardous smog on Friday, causing alarm over disruption to air travel and damage to public health.
The Indian capital city’s air quality degraded to the extent that visibility was reduced to almost zero in some areas, resulting in train and flight delays.
The live pollution rankings published by Swiss air quality monitor IQAir listed Delhi ranked as the third most polluted capital on Friday.
Although no flight cancellations were reported, a Delhi airport spokesperson warned that planes without special equipment for low-visibility landings could face difficulties.
Airlines IndiGo and SpiceJet also warned of potential delays due to the worsening weather conditions.
By 10.14am, the aviation tracking website FlightRadar24 reported an average delay of eight minutes for 20 flights. Train services within Delhi were also affected, with delays reported on multiple routes.
The air quality index in New Delhi reached 351 on Friday, putting it well outside the "good" range. AQI is a measure of five major air pollutants and is considered “good” when under 50.
AQI above 400 is considered “severe”, meaning the smog should be considered harmful to even healthy individuals and outdoor activity should be avoided where possible.
The central government’s Sameer App confirmed the "very poor" AQI rating, a status that has plagued the city since the onset of winter. The wider National Capital Region saw similarly poor readings, with AQI levels measuring between 214 and 291.
Following a brief respite due to rainfall on 1 January, air quality in the city deteriorated rapidly, reverting to the "poor" category by Thursday.
The year just gone was marked by particularly severe air pollution in Delhi, with 17 days classified as having a "severe" AQI of over 400, the most since 2022.
Alongside toxic air, Delhi saw dense fog on Friday morning that greatly reduced visibility in many areas. The India Meteorological Department forecast the fog, along with a cold wave, to continue through the weekend, with temperatures ranging between 8.5C and 20C.
The weather department said light to moderate rainfall was expected on 6 January, offering some hope for at least temporary improvement in air quality and visibility.
Given the hazardous air quality, health experts urged Delhi’s residents to limit outdoor activities, particularly in the early mornings and evenings when pollution levels would likely peak.
They also recommended using masks outdoors, air purifiers indoors, and avoiding poorly ventilated spaces to mitigate health risks, especially for those with respiratory conditions.
