Air pollution crisis: How is hazardous smog affecting visibility and flights in Delhi?

New Delhi: Air pollution in the national capital worsened sharply on Sunday, with a thick layer of toxic smog engulfing Delhi and pushing air quality into the hazardous range, significantly reducing visibility across several areas.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) rose to 461 at 7 am, compared with 431 a day earlier, highlighting a deepening air pollution crisis.

All 40 air quality monitoring stations in the city recorded ‘severe’ AQI levels. Rohini was among the worst-affected areas with an AQI of 499, followed by Bawana at 498. Vivek Vihar reported 495, while Ashok Vihar and Wazirpur stood at 493 each. Narela recorded 492, and Anand Vihar 491.

Pollution levels remained critically high across other parts of the capital as well. ITO recorded an AQI of 485, Mundka 486, Punjabi Bagh 478, Nehru Nagar 476, and Chandni Chowk and Okhla both reported 470, indicating widespread and persistent pollution.

The air quality crisis extended beyond Delhi, affecting several cities in the National Capital Region (NCR). Noida recorded a ‘severe’ AQI of 470, while Ghaziabad stood at 460. Gurugram’s air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category at 348, while Faridabad recorded an AQI of 220, classified as ‘poor’.

Dense smog combined with fog was observed from early morning, causing visibility to drop sharply in many areas. In some locations, visibility fell to near zero, disrupting early-morning movement.

Low-visibility procedures were implemented at the Indira Gandhi International Airport as a precaution. Flight operations continued, though pilots operated under restricted visibility protocols. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had warned that visibility could drop to around 100 metres during early morning hours due to dense fog, improving to nearly 800 metres later in the day.

Stagnant weather conditions, unfavourable dispersion and continued emissions have contributed to the worsening air quality, raising serious health concerns for residents across Delhi and the NCR.

IANS