Chennai Sees Ripple Effect of Delhi’s Air Pollution: 11 Flights Cancelled; Other Cities Also Affected

Chennai: Dense fog conditions and adverse weather in Delhi and parts of Northern India disrupted flight operations at Chennai International Airport on Wednesday

as 11 flights were cancelled. In an official statement released by airport authorities, four of these were arrivals and seven departures. They said the cancellations were a result of persistent dense fog in the capital, coupled with poor weather and air pollution, and the poor visibility had been affecting flight operations in Delhi and several northern states over the past few days.

"Flight services in Delhi and other northern states have been severely impacted due to dense fog and adverse weather conditions. Several flights bound for Delhi were unable to land and were diverted to other airports," the statement said.

As a result, flight services between Chennai and northern cities have remained disrupted. On Wednesday, four outbound flights from Chennai to Delhi, Jaipur, Kolkata, and Ghaziabad were cancelled.

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Similarly, seven flights scheduled to arrive in Chennai today from Delhi, Jaipur, Patna, Pune, Kolkata, Indore, and other cities have also been announced as cancelled. The cancellation of 11 flights in a single day caused significant inconvenience to passengers. Meanwhile, the national capital, Delhi, witnessed a slight improvement in air quality on Wednesday morning, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 328 at around 8 am, keeping it in the 'very poor' category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The air quality improved slightly compared to Tuesday, as the AQI was 354 at 4 pm. However, large parts of the city remained enveloped in toxic smog, and the overall air quality continues to be poor.

Meanwhile, in Chennai, the AQI recorded was 95 as of 9 am, according to official data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

According to CPCB categorisation, 0-50 is 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor', and 401-500 'severe'

(Written with agency inputs.)