Delhi experienced travel chaos on Tuesday morning as dense fog enveloped the city, causing delays for at least 50 flights and 10 trains. The low visibility, dropping to 50 meters for over four hours, led to disruptions in air and rail travel. The fog, intensified by a western disturbance, is expected to persist, impacting the air quality and raising concerns about deteriorating visibility.

Flight delays in the capital, a major hub, have a cascading effect on operations across the country. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributes the dense fog to factors such as dew point temperatures and wind speeds. The minimum temperature, rising to 8.7°C, is expected to hover around 10°C on Wednesday due to cloudiness.

An approaching fresh western disturbance is anticipated to bring moisture, possibly leading to light rain in the National Capital Region on Wednesday and Thursday. The situation prompted the Commission for Air Quality Management to hold an emergency meeting, acknowledging the likelihood of worsening air quality to the severe zone. However, invoking Stage III of pollution mitigation was deferred due to the expected improvement in air quality with gusty winds and potential rain. The average air quality index (AQI) recorded at 9 am was 364 (very poor), indicating ongoing concerns about air pollution in the region.