Dense fog affects air, train travel in Delhi

Pedestrians walk amid heavy fog on a street in New Delhi on Jan 1. PHOTO: AFP

NEW DELHI - Fog continued to wreak travel havoc in India's capital New Delhi on Tuesday (Jan 2), affecting air and rail travellers for the third day in a row.

According to news agency Xinhua, at least 26 flights to and from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport and over 100 trains have been affected due to dense fog that has enveloped the city since the early hours of the day.

"Some 20 domestic and international flights have been delayed and six have been cancelled to and from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport owing to low runway visibility because of dense fog," a senior aviation official told Xinhua.

The flights will resume once the fog lifts later in the day, he added.

"Similarly, some 64 trains have been delayed and 24 have been rescheduled to and from the two main railway stations - New Delhi railway station and Old Delhi railway station. Over 20 trains have been cancelled," a senior Indian Railway official said, as quoted by the news agency.

Thick fog caused runway visibility to drop to below 50m at Delhi's international airport on Sunday and Monday, disrupting several flights.

According to Xinhua, fog is common in northern India, particularly in the winter months of December and January, and is responsible for many road accidents.

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