Chandigarh: A thick blanket of fog settled over large parts of north India on Monday morning, bringing biting cold, poor visibility and fresh travel troubles. Several locations across Punjab, Haryana and the national capital reported dense fog conditions that slowed movement on roads and in the skies.
In Delhi, residents woke up to a sharply colder start to the day as air quality worsened significantly. By 8 am, the city’s Air Quality Index had climbed to 402, placing it firmly in the “severe” category and raising fresh health concerns, especially for children, the elderly and those with respiratory issues.
Pollution levels varied across neighbourhoods but remained dangerously high in many areas. Anand Vihar recorded one of the worst readings at 455, while Bawana followed with an AQI of 411. Other localities, including Wazirpur, Rohini, Punjabi Bagh and Patparganj, also reported severe air quality, with readings well above safe limits.
The dense fog further complicated the morning as visibility dropped drastically across the capital. Operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport were affected, leading to delays and some cancellations. Major carriers such as IndiGo and Air India issued travel advisories, urging passengers to check flight status in advance and allow extra time for airport procedures due to weather-related disruptions.
Weather officials said foggy conditions are likely during the early morning hours as cold wave conditions persist in the region. Authorities have advised commuters to exercise caution while driving and residents to limit outdoor exposure as long as pollution levels remain high.
