Toxic smog chokes Delhi as air quality remains severe; over 200 flights delayed

Delhi woke up to yet another morning of thick smog with the pollution remaining in the ‘severe’ category for the second consecutive day. The Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 432 at 6 am, a slight improvement from the ‘very severe’ 452 recorded at 11 pm yesterday. Visibility at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport dropped, leading to 203 flights being delayed according to Flightradar.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, reflecting on her return to Delhi from Wayanad, said the experience was like “entering a gas chamber.”
She described the heavy smog covering Delhi, noting that while Wayanad’s air quality index was at 35, Delhi’s pollution has become a recurring crisis.
Calling for collective action beyond political divides, Priyanka said, “We really should put our heads together and find a solution for cleaner air. It’s beyond this party or that, it’s practically impossible to breathe, especially for kids, elderly people and those with respiratory issues. We just have to do something about it.”
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), several areas in the capital region recorded an AQI of over 450. Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Dwarka, Jahangirpuri, Mundka, Najafgarh, Lajpat Nagar, Patparganj, Punjabi Bagh, RK Puram, Rohini, Vivek Vihar, and Wazirpur are among several areas in Delhi where the average AQI was recorded in the ‘severe’ category, exceeding 450, at 6 am.

INSAT Image on fog intensity this morning.

Anand Vihar recorded the highest AQI at 473, followed closely by Patparganj at 472, Ashok Vihar at 471, and Jahangirpuri at 470.
Earlier this morning, IndiGo issued a travel advisory on its official X handle, asking passengers to monitor their flight status. The airline warned that some flights may experience delays due to “winter fog.”
“This morning, winter fog may impact flights to/from Amritsar, Varanasi & Delhi. Do keep a tab on your flight status before heading to the airport. Also, please allow additional travel time as road traffic may move slower than usual due to low visibility. Thank you for your patience, and we wish you a smooth journey,” the airlines tweeted.
The Delhi Airport issued an advisory to passengers, saying that low visibility procedures are in progress at the airport.
“All flight operations are presently normal. Passengers are requested to contact the airlines concerned for updated flight information,” the advisory said.
Meanwhile, departures at Delhi’s IGI Airport are experiencing an average delay of about 30 minutes due to smoggy conditions.

Long-term exposure to “very poor” air quality can lead to respiratory issues, while severe AQI levels can affect even healthy individuals and pose serious risks for those with existing health conditions.
Speaking on the worsening air quality, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva slammed the Atishi government, saying, “We are standing at Kartavya Path, and the AQI here is 474. We can’t even see India Gate. This is due to the inefficiency of the AAP government, which is focused only on event management, not environmental planning.”
He added, “PM 2.5 is a major contributor to pollution, especially from dust on damaged roads, and 3,100 tonnes of untreated CNG waste are released daily, as noted by the Supreme Court.”
Sachdeva attributed the pollution to Punjab’s stubble burning and high PM 2.5 levels and suggested declaring holidays for schools and advising people to avoid morning walks.
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology has provided a forecast indicating a slight improvement in Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) from Friday, November 15, with further changes expected through the weekend. While the air quality is likely to remain in the “Severe” category on November 14, it is expected to shift to the “Very Poor” category from November 15th through November 17.
According to the predictions made for November 14th, surface winds in Delhi are anticipated to originate from variable directions, with speeds ranging between 4 to 12 km/h. This change in wind direction is likely to result in smog, mist, and moderate fog during the evening and night hours. By November 15, the surface winds are expected to shift to a northwest direction, maintaining speeds of 6 to 12 km/h, with possibilities of smog and moderate to dense fog in certain areas during the morning and smog or mist in the evening and night under a mainly clear sky.
On November 16, similar wind conditions are predicted, but the wind speed may increase slightly, ranging from 6 to 16 km/h. Morning hours may witness shallow to moderate fog, while the evening might see recurring smog and mist. The sky is expected to be clear on this day as well. By November 17, the wind direction is likely to remain northwest, with wind speeds of 4 to 12 km/h and expected smog and mist prevailing throughout the day.
The predicted maximum mixing depth and ventilation index over Delhi play key roles in the dispersion of pollutants. While the mixing depth and ventilation index on November 14 indicate very limited dispersion capability, improvements are noted on subsequent days, especially on November 16, suggesting better conditions for pollutant dispersal. However, meteorological conditions are still likely to remain generally unfavourable for the effective dispersion of pollutants, thus sustaining poor air quality levels.