Delhi continued to reel under heavy smog and dense fog on Monday morning, with air quality levels remaining in the “very poor” category and several areas slipping into “severe” pollution levels, affecting daily life and transport across the national capital.
According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was recorded at 366 around 8 am, showing a slight improvement compared to Sunday’s 377 at 4 pm, but still firmly within the “very poor” category.
Areas such as ITO reported an AQI of 370, while Mundka (400), Shadipur (306), Sonia Vihar (370), Alipur (391), and DTU (400) were also under very poor air quality today.
A thick layer of smog covered parts of the city, including India Gate,
Kartavya Path, Sarai Kale Khan, and ITO, significantly reducing visibility.
Some parts of the city recorded severe pollution levels, including Anand Vihar (402), Wazirpur (404), Bawana (408), and Narela (418).
The dense fog has also disrupted air travel at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. At least 29 trains were also running late in the Delhi division of Northern Railways.
VIDEO | Dense fog disrupts air traffic, with several flights delayed at Delhi Airport; visuals show low visibility and flight information display boards reflecting the impact.
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/RjrJembDEs
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 22, 2025
The Delhi airport issued multiple advisories on X regarding low-visibility conditions.
At 5.45 am, the airport posted, “Low Visibility Procedures are in progress at Delhi Airport. All flight operations are presently normal. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information.”
Passenger Advisory issued at 05:45 hours.
Please click on this link for real-time winter-ready travel updates: https://https://t.co/1grW9nhXpJ#DelhiAirport #PassengerAdvisory #DELAdvisory pic.twitter.com/QdGfRZP10Z
— Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) December 22, 2025
A later update at 8 am read, “Low Visibility Procedures are still in progress at Delhi Airport. All flight operations are functioning normally. Passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines for the latest flight updates.”
Passengers were advised to stay in touch with airlines, as delays were expected.
Passenger Advisory issued at 08:00 hours.
Please click on this link for real-time winter-ready travel updates: https://t.co/KkKldKUlLQ#DelhiAirport #PassengerAdvisory #DELAdvisory pic.twitter.com/moaVxaNv1P
— Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) December 22, 2025
According to IANS, moderate fog is forecast for the day, with maximum and minimum temperatures around 21 degrees Celsius and 9 degrees Celsius, respectively.
On Sunday, the dense fog caused significant disruption at the Delhi airport. News agency PTI reported that more than 105 flights were cancelled and over 450 services were delayed due to low visibility.
At least 55 arrivals and 52 departures were cancelled, with an average delay of approximately 36 minutes for departing flights.
The deteriorating conditions have also raised health concerns, particularly for children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) continued its enforcement drive to curb pollution.
During December, the civic body imposed fines totalling Rs 54.98 lakh for violations, including biomass burning and illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste.
The MCD also deployed extra machinery, sanitation personnel, and waste-collection vehicles to clean approximately 500 secondary collection points each night, restoring hygiene in critical areas.
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