Fog disrupts 60 Delhi flights; 4 trains cancelled

Dense fog enveloped the IGI airport here this morning, disrupting the schedule of around 60 domestic and international flights.

Three flights were diverted, five domestic flights cancelled and eight domestic and international flights were rescheduled. Around 40 domestic and international flights were delayed by several hours, causing inconvenience to passengers.

Fog started to descend on the airport last night and it become very dense at around 10.30 pm when the general visibility dropped to zero and the runway visibility to less than 100 metres.

The condition worsened in the morning when the runway visibility dropped to 75 metres for both, main and new, runways.

Very few flights, which operated using the CAT-III B instrument landing system, have arrived or departed since morning due to the poor visibility at the airport, the official said.

According to the MET department, the condition would continue to remain the same till afternoon.

The airport has been witnessing dense fog since last Wednesday, affecting the schedule of over 350 flights.

Trains cancelled

Heavy fog in most parts of North India today disrupted rail services with four trains cancelled and over 50 running behind schedule.

While the Bhopal Shatabdi, Jalandhar-New Delhi intercity and New Delhi-Amritsar intercity were cancelled in the morning, the Lucknow Shatabdi, Puri Express and Northeast Express were rescheduled.

Northern Railway officials said many more trains may be cancelled in the day because of fog in most parts of North India.

Railways have already announced cancellation of 19 other trains till January 31.