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Delhi Smog Disrupts Flights, Trains; Visibility Drops Amid ‘Severe Plus’ Pollution

November 18, 2024, 10:22 am

Thick smog blanketing Delhi disrupted travel on Monday, with over 28 trains arriving at New Delhi and Anand Vihar stations delayed by two to nine hours. The poor visibility also affected operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport, delaying more than 160 flights, including 118 departures and 43 arrivals, as of 8:30 am. Departure delays averaged 22 minutes, while seven flights were canceled.

Passengers were seen waiting outside railway stations, while the airport issued an advisory urging travelers to stay in touch with airlines for updates on delays and schedule changes as low-visibility protocols were implemented.

Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reached a hazardous 481 by 6 am, placing it in the “severe plus” category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, 32 out of 34 monitoring stations reported AQI levels above 400. The worsening pollution has led to the activation of Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across Delhi-NCR.

In response, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi announced staggered office timings to reduce vehicular pollution. Central government offices will function from 9 am to 5:30 pm, Delhi government offices from 10 am to 6:30 pm, and MCD offices from 8:30 am to 5 pm. Primary schools have shifted to online classes until air quality improves.

The smog, categorized as “severe,” poses serious health risks for healthy individuals and even greater threats to those with existing medical conditions.

Lufthansa And Air France Suspend Flights Amid Escalating Israel-Lebanon Conflict

August 25, 2024, 5:50 pm

As tensions between Israel and Lebanon escalate, European airlines Lufthansa and Air France have decided to suspend their flights to the region. The cancellations come in response to recent airstrikes and military actions, raising security concerns for both passengers and crew.

Suspension of Flights by Major Airlines

Air France has announced the suspension of its scheduled flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut for Sunday and Monday. The airline indicated that this suspension could be extended further depending on the situation in the Middle East. This is not the first time Air France has halted flights to the region, as it previously suspended operations to Beirut from July 29 to August 15, though it continued flights to Tel Aviv during that period. The airline has yet to clarify whether its low-cost subsidiary, Transavia, will also cancel flights to these destinations.

Similarly, Germany’s Lufthansa has extended its suspension of flights to Beirut until the end of September. The airline will also not operate flights to Tel Aviv and Tehran until September 2, citing heightened security risks as the primary reason for the decision.

Rising Tensions in the Middle East

These suspensions are a direct response to the surge in violence between Israel and Hezbollah, the militant group based in Lebanon. Recently, Israel launched a series of airstrikes targeting rocket launchers in southern Lebanon, aiming to prevent what it described as an imminent attack by Hezbollah. In retaliation, Hezbollah claimed to have fired hundreds of rockets and drones at military bases and missile defense positions in northern Israel and the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.

The conflict intensified following the killing of Fouad Shukur, a top commander and founding member of Hezbollah, in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last month. Hezbollah described their recent actions as the initial phase of their response, stating that they had concluded their military operations on Sunday while denying Israel’s claims of thwarting their attack.

Impact on Air Travel

The suspension of flights by Lufthansa and Air France highlights the significant impact of the ongoing conflict on international travel. Both airlines typically operate daily flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut, and the continued instability in the region could lead to further disruptions. Passengers booked on these flights are advised to check with the airlines for updates and alternative travel arrangements.

As the situation in the Middle East remains fluid, the safety of passengers and airline staff is a top priority. The decisions by Lufthansa and Air France to halt flights underline the seriousness of the security concerns, and the airlines are closely monitoring developments to determine when it will be safe to resume operations.

Conclusion

With the ongoing conflict showing no signs of immediate resolution, it remains to be seen how long these flight suspensions will last. The actions taken by Lufthansa and Air France reflect the broader concerns about safety in a region marked by escalating tensions and military actions. Travelers affected by these cancellations should stay informed about the latest updates and prepare for potential changes to their travel plans.

No plans for introducing new international flights from Chandigarh

July 25, 2024, 10:50 pm

The possibility of introducing more international flights from Chandigarh appears unlikely, according to India’s Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol. In a written response to the Rajya Sabha, Mohol clarified that the decision to start international flights from any location, including Amritsar and Chandigarh, is solely a commercial one made by airlines. This decision is based on factors such as slot availability, market demand, economic viability, and other favourable conditions.

Mohol was addressing questions regarding the government’s plans to grant ‘Point of Call’ status to Amritsar and Chandigarh international airports under the Air Services Agreement (ASA) with Canada. He explained that the initiation of international flights is driven by airlines’ commercial interests rather than government intervention.

No plans as such for ‘Point of Call’ status

Mohol did not provide details about the government’s plans for ‘Point of Call’ status for Amritsar and Chandigarh airports or for opening additional international airports. He stated that currently, non-metro airports are not being considered as new call points for foreign carriers. Instead, the focus is on encouraging Indian airlines to expand their international operations from non-metro locations.

The provision of call points to foreign airlines is managed through bilateral air service agreements between India and other countries. Decisions regarding these call points are influenced by factors such as benefits to the Indian aviation sector, the presence of the Indian diaspora in the foreign country, reciprocity, and other relevant considerations.

Vikramjit Singh Sahney had asked whether the government plans to grant ‘Point of Call’ status to additional international airports and the rationale behind such decisions. He also inquired about the government’s awareness of the large number of Punjab residents traveling to and from Canada each year and whether Amritsar and Chandigarh airports would be included in the ASA with Canada.

The response emphasised that the current strategy encourages Indian airlines to serve international markets from non-metro locations, aligning with the broader framework of bilateral air agreements.

Rain And Gusty Winds Force Flight Diversions From Delhi To Jaipur

July 15, 2024, 6:00 pm

Rain, thunder, and gusty winds caused the diversion of at least three flights from Delhi to Jaipur between 10 am and 10:15 am on Monday, with additional flight delays reported. An airport official stated, “The diversions were due to bad weather, particularly rain and gusty winds.”

The rain caused waterlogging and subsequent traffic snarls, prompting the Delhi Traffic Police to issue advisories for affected areas, including Rohtak Road and Chaudhary Fateh Singh Marg, among others.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported light to moderate rainfall across Delhi and the National Capital Region as thunderclouds moved through the area. Palam recorded 31.8 mm of rain from 8:30 am to 11:30 am, Ridge saw 37.2 mm, and Pusa received 35 mm. In contrast, Safdarjung, a key weather station for Delhi, recorded only 2.7 mm during the same period.

Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 29°C, with a maximum forecasted to be around 34°C.

Why Are Flights Delayed At Delhi Airport? The Real Reason Revealed

June 19, 2024, 11:29 pm

Flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport are being disrupted, with numerous delays due to high surface temperatures.

According to ANI, a senior Ministry of Civil Aviation official stated that while safety guidelines are being adhered to, flights are sometimes delayed or have to wait for wind speeds to stabilize.

High temperatures cause the air to become less dense, impacting the lift needed for aircraft takeoff, as explained by another senior official from a domestic airline. This reduced air density affects the lift, particularly during takeoff and the initial climb, and may also cause mid-air turbulence.

“In extreme weather conditions such as high temperatures and strong winds, we only proceed after receiving clearance from Air Traffic Control (ATC),” the official said.

The Alternatives

Alternatives include adjusting operations by reducing fuel or baggage, and in some cases, removing passengers to enable the aircraft to operate, the official added.

For instance, an Indigo flight 6E 2521 from Delhi to Bagdogra was delayed on June 17 due to high ground temperatures affecting operations.

Non-Functioning AC in aircraft

Regarding complaints about non-functioning air conditioning in aircraft, a senior domestic airline official mentioned that the extreme heat outside makes it difficult for the air conditioning system to cool the plane effectively on short-distance flights. This can cause discomfort to passengers while taxiing or idling on the runway due to rising cabin temperatures.

New Delhi has been facing intense heat waves and soaring temperatures.

Air India Express Expected To Restore Flights By May 14

May 12, 2024, 4:13 pm

Air India Express is gradually resuming flights and stabilizing its network, according to an official statement on Sunday. The cabin crew union has confirmed that all members who had reported sick have returned to duty.

The airline, owned by the Tata Group and operating around 380 daily services, had canceled more than 20 flights on Sunday. The official indicated that full normalcy is expected to be restored by Tuesday morning.

Air India Express has not issued an official statement regarding these developments. The recent strike by a section of cabin crew, protesting alleged mismanagement, led to the cancellation of numerous flights since Tuesday night.

However, the strike was called off on Thursday, and the airline retracted termination letters issued to 25 cabin crew members following a conciliation meeting convened by the chief labour commissioner in New Delhi. The meeting was attended by representatives of the airline and the Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU).

Operation Kaveri: IAF flight with 47 passengers onboard lands in India

May 5, 2023, 2:22 pm

An Indian Air Force flight carrying 47 passengers onboard has landed in India, taking the toll of evacuees to 3862 persons under Operation Kaveri, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday.

“An Indian Air Force C130 J flight carrying 47 passengers has landed in India. With this arrival, 3862 persons have been moved out of Sudan through #OperationKaveri,” the EAM tweeted.

The EAM said that it was because of the commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the safety of all Indians in Sudan that led to this complex exercise.
Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, “Prime Minister @narendramodi’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all Indians abroad was our inspiration. Moving passengers to Port Sudan from various locations across the country in precarious security circumstances was a complex exercise.”

The aircraft that brought back 47 Indian evacuees from Jeddah to Delhi took off earlier this morning.
“IAF C-130J aircraft with 47 evacuees from Sudan is on its way to Delhi from Jeddah Nearly 3800 persons have now been rescued from Sudan under #OperationKaveri,” the MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted and informed about the same.Earlier today, a group of 9 stranded Indian evacuees from Sudan landed in Mumbai from Jeddah. After returning from the crisis-hit country, evacuees expressed their happiness.
Salim, who returned to India, said, “I went to meet my relatives. I was stuck in Sudan for about 20 days. When I contacted the embassy there, they served me very well and quickly.”

Meanwhile, Mubarak, another evacuee that returned to Mumbai said that the Indian embassy in Sudan has helped him a lot. “The Indian Embassy arranged food and gave shelter in its office. The Embassy also gave the bus service to go to Port Sudan,” he added.

Several flights, trains delayed due to fog; Delhi may see light rain

January 20, 2023, 1:04 pm

Due to foggy conditions in most of north India, almost 16 trains were running late and several flights were delayed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) on Friday.

Meanwhile, till 7 am no flight diversions were reported. a passenger at Delhi airport said, “Flights were delayed due to bad weather amid fog in the national capital. Visibility is very low at the airport.”

According to officials of Northern Railway, Darbhanga-New Delhi Clone Special, Gaya-New Delhi Mahabodhi Express, Malda Town-Delhi Farakka Express, Barauni-New Delhi Clone Special, Banaras-New Delhi Kashi Vishwanath Express, Katihar-Amritsar Amrapali Express, Kamakhya-Delhi Brahmaputra Mail, Visakhapatnam-New Delhi Andhra Pradesh Express, Balrampur -Gwalior Sushasan Express, Ayodhya Cantt-Delhi Express, Rajgir-New Delhi Shramjeevi Superfast Express, Raxaul- Anand Vihar Terminal Sadbhavana Express, Muzaffarpur-Anand Vihar Terminal SaptKranti Superfast Express, Jabalpur-Hazrat Nizamuddin Gondwana Express, Manikpur-Hazrat Nizamuddin Uttar Pardesh Sampark Kranti Express, Hyderabad Deccan Nampally-New Delhi Telangana Express, are running late.

Moreover, from 20 January to 26 January there will be fresh western disturbances, said IMD.

“An active Western Disturbance is very likely to affect northwest India from January 21 to January 25. Under its influence, rainfall/snowfall is likely to commence over the western Himalayan region in the early hours of January 21 and continue till January 25 with peak activity on January 23-24,” the IMD said in a statement.

According to the India Meteorological Department, on Thursday night, Delhi may see light rain.

However, there will be light to moderate hailstorms at places over Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh, and north Rajasthan on 23 and 24 January.

Grounding of 11,000 flights caused by ‘unintentionally deleted files’: US Federal Aviation Administration

January 20, 2023, 12:41 pm

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has revealed in its preliminary review that the worker working on a vital computer system “unintentionally deleted files” disrupting a key computer system and prompting the entire system to break down on January 11 which affected more than 11,000 flights.

The regulator further said that the staff were trying “to correct synchronisation between the live primary database and a backup database” when some of the files got accidentally deleted. The FAA said it “has so far found no evidence of a cyber-attack or malicious intent.”

“A preliminary FAA review of last week’s outage of the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system determined that contract personnel unintentionally deleted files while working to correct synchronisation between the live primary database and a backup database,” the FAA said on Thursday.

Billy Nolen, current FAA acting Administrator is to hold a virtual briefing on Friday for lawmakers and staff. Explaining the details of what went wrong that led to the first nationwide grounding of departing flights since the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Last week, the organisation claimed that a procedural mistake connected to a damaged data file was to blame for the computer outage of the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) messaging system. Critical safety notices are made available to pilots, flight crews, and other airspace users through the NOTAM system.

The pilot communication system has been given the appropriate adjustments, according to the FAA, and measures have been taken to make it “more robust.” The system went down on January 10, but the FAA did not issue a ground stop until the next morning.

More than 120 American politicians complained to the FAA last week, calling the computer breakdown “absolutely unacceptable” and demanding an explanation of how the organisation plans to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

The staff of the Senate Commerce Committee has also requested information from the FAA about the outage, including an explanation for why airlines were given the choice to fly while the NOTAM system was down.

Flights operations affected at Srinagar Airport; flights canceled due to bad weather

January 13, 2023, 4:20 pm

Due to bad weather in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar, all flights have been canceled on Friday from Srinagar Airport.

Taking to Twitter official Twitter handle of Srinagar airport tweeted, “All flights for today at our airport have been canceled due to continuous bad weather.”

Meanwhile, the passengers of the canceled flights will be accommodated on the next available flight at no extra cost, said airport officials.

“The passengers of the canceled flights shall be accommodated by the respective Airlines in the next available flight at no extra cost,” reads the tweet.

Moreover, over parts of Punjab, Northwest Rajasthan, Jammu division, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Tripura dense to very dense fog was observed.

However, IMD has predicted that on 14 January there will be dense to very dense fog in some parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi; in isolated pockets over Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The dense fog will be over the states of the Jammu division, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Odisha.

Flights across US grounded; major glitch in FAA

January 11, 2023, 6:18 pm

In the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) computer system there was a technical glitch after which all flights across the US were grounded on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, this massive glitch resulted in flight delays, and on the matter, the Federal Aviation Administration said, “it is experiencing an outrage that is impacting the update of Notice to Air Missions (NOTAMs)’ and that ‘all flights are unable to be released at this time.”

Moreover, about the massive glitch the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) alerted the pilots and other flight personnel on Wednesday.

Taking to Twitter the Federal Aviation Administration tweeted, “The FAA is working to restore its Notice to Air Missions System. We are performing final validation checks and reloading the system now. Operations across the National Airspace System are affected. We will provide frequent updates as we make progress.”

However, an advisory was also issued by the Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) about the United States NOTAM system failure.

“The United States NOTAM system failed at 2028Z. Since then no new NOTAMS or amendments have been processed. Technicians are currently working to restore the system and there is no estimate for restoration or service at this time,” the ATCSCC advisory read.

Furthermore, Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) is a part of the Federal Aviation Administration which is located in Warrenton, Virginia.

Dense fog persists over Delhi-NCR; 5 killed including 1 child

January 11, 2023, 12:41 pm

In many parts of North India on Wednesday a severe fog engulfed affecting visibility in many states. Due to severe cold five people including one child in Noida.

Earlier at 6.10 am 5.9 degree Celsius minimum temperature was recorded at Safdarjung and in Palam, there were 100 meters of visibility at 6.10 am.

Meanwhile, 26 trains got delayed and 10 flights, scheduled to depart from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI), were delayed due to dense fog.

The flight routes which are affected by fog were Delhi-Shimla, Delhi-Kathmandu, Delhi-Chennai, Delhi-Jaisalmer, Delhi-Bareilly, Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Varanasi, Delhi-Srinagar, Delhi-Jaipur, and Delhi-Guwahati.

These trains got delayed by three hours Gorakhpur-Bathinda Gorakhdham Express, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus- Amritsar Express, Pratapgarh-Delhi Padmavat Express, and Dr. Ambedkar Nagar- Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Malwa Superfast Express were running late by up to 2 hours. While Barauni-New Delhi Clone Special, Katihar-Amritsar Express, Visakhapatnam-New Delhi Andhra Pradesh Express, and Jabalpur-Hazrat Nizamuddin Gondwana Express.

Moreover by 4 hours MahabodhiExpress, and Howrah-New Delhi Poorva Express,
Puri- New Delhi Purushottam Express, Azamgarh-Delhi Kaifiyaat Express, Kamakhya-Delhi Brahmaputra Mail, and Jaynagar-Amritsar Clone Special were running late.

“Dense/Very Dense Fog layer (in the white patch) extends from Punjab to Bihar across Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh,” tweeted the India Meteorological Department.

Talking about the air quality of Delhi continued to be “severe” on Wednesday with Air Quality Index (AQI) 421.

However, in the last 23 years, Delhi experienced the third worst cold spell and from 14 January there will be a second spell of cold in Delhi.

Talking to the media IMD scientist RK Jenamani said, “A cold spell means the number of days we experienced which is in the range of 5 to 6 days. A similar situation was there in the year 2006 when we had the lowest temperature of 1.9 degrees Celsius. In 2013 also, we had a similar cold spell, and January 3-9 was the third worst cold spell in the last 23 years.”

Dense fog hits Delhi; 40 domestic flights, 36 trains delayed

January 10, 2023, 11:43 am

Amid the ongoing severe cold wave conditions, a thick layer of fog engulfed Delhi and adjoining areas leading to reduced visibility on Tuesday with less than 100 m visibility at 8.30 am.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), “Less than 100 m visibility at 8.30 am in Jammu division’s Jammu, U’khand’s Pantnagar, Punjab’s Patiala, Amritsar and Ludhiana, Haryana’s Bhiwani and Karnal, Delhi’s Palam, Raj’s Ganganagar, UP’s Bareilly, Bahraich, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj & Bihar’s Gaya, Bhagalpur, and Purnea.”

Meanwhile, due to less visibility from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) 40 flights were delayed and till 7 am no flight diversions were reported.

People braved through a thick fog in the entire north Indian belt, and a minimum temperature of 6.4°C was reported in Safdarjung while Palam recorded a minimum temperature of 7.5°C, till 8:30 am and at 4:30 am the visibility at Palam was 0 meters.

Moreover, over parts of Punjab, Northwest Rajasthan, Jammu division, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Tripura a dense fog was observed.

Taking to Twitter IMD tweeted, “Dense/Very Dense Fog layer (in the white patch) extends from Punjab to Bihar across Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh at 0530 hours IST on 10.01.2023.”

“Visibility (in meters) recorded at 0530 hours IST of 10.01.2023: Bhatinda and Agra – 0 each. Jammu division, Ganganagar, Chandigarh, Ambala, Patiala, Bareilly, Lucknow, Sultanpur, Gorakhpur, and Bhagalpur – 25 each. Hissar, Delhi-Palam, Baharaich, Gaya, Purnea and Kailashahar – 50,” IMD said.

However, 36 trains were running late due to fog on Tuesday.

A passenger said, “I am traveling to Gorakhpur. However, my train is running late by 4-4.5 hours on account of the fog.”

Furthermore, till 12 January a temporary ban has been imposed on Monday by the AAP government on the plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers.

118 domestic flights, 29 trains were delayed due to fog

January 9, 2023, 12:45 pm

A thick layer of fog engulfed Delhi and adjoining areas leading to reduced visibility on Monday because of that around 118 domestic flights and 29 trains were delayed. “Visibility recorded at 5:30 am today in Bhatinda-0 meters, Amritsar-25 and Ambala-25 meters each, Hissar-50 meters, Delhi (Safdarjung)-25 meters, Delhi (Palam)-50 meters; Uttar Pradesh: Agra-0 meter, Lucknow (Amausi)-0 meters, Varanasi (Babatpur)-25 meters, Bareilly-50 meters,” IMD said. However, talking about the air quality of Delhi on Monday AQI was recorded as in the ‘Severe’ category with an overall AQI of 422.

Dense fog hits Delhi; 118 domestic flights, 29 trains delayed

January 9, 2023, 12:41 pm

Amid the ongoing severe cold wave conditions, a thick layer of fog engulfed Delhi and adjoining areas leading to reduced visibility on Monday.

“Visibility recorded at 5:30 am today in Bhatinda-0 meters, Amritsar-25 and Ambala-25 meters each, Hissar-50 meters, Delhi (Safdarjung)-25 meters, Delhi (Palam)-50 meters; Uttar Pradesh: Agra-0 meter, Lucknow (Amausi)-0 meters, Varanasi (Babatpur)-25 meters, Bareilly-50 meters,” IMD said.

Meanwhile, from Punjab and adjoining northwest Rajasthan to Bihar across Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh the fog layer extended as per Satellite imagery.

Due to low visibility from the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi around 118 domestic flights departure have been delayed on Monday.

“Due to low visibility, three flights diverted to Jaipur- Air India Express from Sharjah to Delhi, Spicejet flight from Ahmedabad to Delhi, and SpiceJet flight from Pune to Delhi,” the Delhi airport official said.

Moreover, around in the Northern Railway region on Monday alone, 29 trains were running late including the Rajdhani Express trains.

“Anvt Garib Rath is running 7 hours late, Sealdah Rajdhani Express 11:30 hours late, Howrah Rajdhani Express 10:30 hours late, Jainagar Garib Rath Express 10:30 hours late, New Delhi Bhuneshwar Rajdhani Express 09 hours late, Duranto Express 13:30 hours late, among others,” Indian Railways reads.

However, talking about the air quality of Delhi on Monday was recorded ‘Severe’ category with an overall AQI of 422.

Delhi: Safdarjung, Lodhi Road record lowest temperature; flights, trains delayed

January 7, 2023, 12:58 pm

As the cold wave conditions continue to grip northern India, the National Capital Territory of Delhi on Saturday recorded a 1.5 degrees minimum temperature in the Delhi ridge area.

Due to dense fog, many parts of Delhi are covered and in RK Puram there was low visibility. On Saturday severe cold wave was observed in Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi.

Meanwhile, in isolated pockets over West Rajasthan, East Madhya Pradesh the cold wave was also witnessed.

Talking about the flights around 34 domestic departure flights from the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) were delayed due to bad weather on Saturday.

Moreover, over 12 arrival flights were delayed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport due to dense fog from different destinations.

Earlier in the day because of low visibility conditions caused due to fog at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi issued an advisory. As to counter the menace of low visibility at the airport Airport authorities on Saturday issued an advisory to the passengers.

However, dense fog has also affected the railways as over 32 long-distance trains are running behind their schedule.

Prayagraj-New Delhi Humsafar Express, Saharsa- New Delhi Vaishali Superfast Express, Rewa -Anand Vihar Terminal Superfast Express, Kathgodam-Jaisalmer Ranikhet Express, MGR Chennai Central -New Delhi Tamil Nadu Express, and Hyderbad Deccan Nampally – New Delhi Telangana Express were running late by up to 1:30 hours, said officials of Northern Railway.

Darbhanga – New Delhi Clone Special, Howrah-New Delhi Poorva Express, Ayodhya Cantt- Delhi Express, Rajgir-New Delhi Sharmjeevi Superfast Express, JayNagar- Amritsar Clone Special, Visakhapatnam- New Delhi Andhra Pradesh Express, Hyderbad Deccan Nampally – Hazrat Nizamuddin Dakshin Superfast Express, and Dr.Ambedkar Nagar- Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra Malwa Superfast Express was running late by 2:30 hours.

Furthermore, in the northern belt of many places, Bikaner in Rajasthan recorded 0 degrees Celsius, and Chhatarpur in Madhya Pradesh recorded 0.2 degrees Celsius. In the first half of the next week the cold wave will continue said IMD.

Bad weather delays multiple flights

January 6, 2023, 12:08 pm

Due to bad weather conditions in the Northern and Central parts of India including Delhi, many flight operations have been disrupted and eight flight departures delayed at Indira Gandhi International Airport.

New Delhi Airport’s live flight information said, “An Air India, Melbourne-bound, flight delayed by around 2:25 hours and rescheduled to depart at 16:45 hours.”

Dubai bound flight was rescheduled to 10:50 hours from 9:00 hours, Jeddah bound flight from 10:25 hours to 13:10 hours, the SpiceJet flight, Dubai-bound, was also rescheduled to 8:29 hours from 7:30 hours, Air India Flight, flying down to Kathmandu was delayed by 1:02 hours, Warsaw bound flight by 1:45 hours, Istanbul bound flight rescheduled to 7:38 hours from 6:55 hours, Dhaka bound flight from 6:30 hours to 7:31 hours, Phuket bound flight from 6:25 hours to 6:56 hours, and Bahrain bound flight from 5:40 hours to 6:53 hours,” New Delhi Airport’s live flight information informed.

Meanwhile, at Delhi IGI few flights which were arriving also reported delays. For all passengers, Delhi Airport issued a fog alert and at the Delhi Airport low visibility procedures were in progress.

Moreover, due to dense fog and low visibility, many trains are also running late in which 26 trains are running late and two trains are rescheduled.

However, over many parts of central India and adjoining areas of peninsular, east, and northwest India in January 2023 the minimum and maximum temperatures will remain below normal.

10 flights canceled amid cyclone Mandous at Chennai airport

December 9, 2022, 4:27 pm

In view of the cyclone, Mandous, and adverse weather conditions over 10 flights were canceled at Chennai airport. “Kindly take note of the Flight cancellations at Chennai Intl Airport on 09.12.2022 due to adverse weather conditions forecasted. Passengers are requested to check with the concerned airline(s) for further updates. #Chennai #MandousCyclone #Mandous@AAI_Official@pibchennai,” Chennai airport tweeted. Earlier, schools were shut down and 14 teams of NDRF have been deployed in Tamil Nadu at all the coastal areas for cyclone Mandous.

Flights at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport will be cancelled for 5 hours tomorrow

October 31, 2022, 1:09 pm

Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala will be closed for five hours on Tuesday due to the Alpassi Arattu procession of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, according to an official statement. There will be no domestic or international flights from the airport between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., according to the statement.

“To enable and facilitate the smooth continuation of a centuries-old ritual by Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple for the Alpassi Arattu procession, through the runway of the Thiruvananthapuram International airport, the flight services shall remain suspended from 1600 to 2100 hours on the November 1, 2022,” the statement read.

Domestic and international services have been rescheduled for this time period, and updated schedules will be available from the respective airlines.

What exactly is the Alpassi Arattu processional?

For over 1,000 years, the century-old Vishnu Temple has been managed by its heirs, former Travancore ruler Marthanda Varma. Every year, the airport suspends flight operations during the traditional Arattu procession (Arattu- ritualistic bath of the deity).

Lord Vishnu’s idol is carried to Shankumugham Beach, which is located behind the airport, during the procession. The deity is given a ‘holy dip’ twice a year, a tradition that dates back to before the airport was built in 1932.

The airport issues a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) before suspending services for the bi-annual festival, which occurs twice a year, first in March and April for the Panguni festival and then in October and November for Alphasy.

The procession includes hundreds of people and four elephants adorned with rich decorative coverings carrying Utsav Vigraha of deities Padmanabhaswamy, Narasimha Moorthy, and Krishna Swami and walking through the airport’s long runway to Shankumugham Beach.

After a dip in the sea, the idols are returned to the temple in a procession marked by traditional torches, bringing the festival to a close.