Residents of Delhi-NCR woke up to a harsh end-of-year morning on December 31 as dense fog, biting cold and deteriorating air quality combined to disrupt daily routines across large parts of North India.
Across the region, sharply reduced visibility, falling temperatures and elevated pollution levels severely affected road, rail and air movement, leaving thousands of commuters stranded or delayed.
Temperatures in the NCR hovered between 6 and 9 degrees Celsius, intensifying cold wave conditions and adding to the discomfort during early morning hours.
From the early hours of the day, thick fog enveloped the national capital, with visibility in several pockets dropping to near zero.
Several major stretches, including Anand Vihar, ITO, AIIMS, Ashoka Road, India Gate Circle and Mahatma Gandhi Marg, reported extremely poor visibility due to a mix of fog and smog.
As a result, vehicles crawled along these routes, forcing motorists to rely heavily on fog lights while traffic congestion built up on key arterial roads.
Meanwhile, air traffic operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport faced disruptions due to persistent fog conditions.
Delhi Airport authorities issued a passenger advisory, “Due to prevailing dense fog conditions, flight operations are currently being conducted under CAT III protocols, which may result in delays or cancellations. Our ground teams are on-site and actively assisting passengers to ensure a smooth travel experience. For the latest flight updates, please reach out to your respective airlines. We sincerely regret for any inconvenience caused.”
CAT III landing procedures allow aircraft to land in extremely low visibility, but often slow down air traffic movement, leading to scheduling disruptions.
Consequently, several arrivals and departures experienced delays during the morning hours.
IndiGo Issues Advisory as Fog Disrupts Northern India
India’s largest airline, IndiGo, also released a travel advisory warning of possible disruptions across northern India.
The airline stated, “Foggy conditions are present across Delhi and several airports in northern India this morning. If reduced visibility conditions persist, flight departures and arrivals may be impacted as the day progresses.”
Travel Advisory
Foggy conditions are present across Delhi and several airports in northern India this morning. If reduced visibility conditions persist, flight departures and arrivals may be impacted as the day progresses.
We are closely monitoring the situation and are…
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 31, 2025
Authorities advised travellers to check their flight status in advance and factor in additional travel time, as fog also affected road connectivity to airports.
Weather experts have cautioned that foggy conditions may continue over the next few days.
Authorities have urged commuters to exercise caution, avoid unnecessary early morning travel and stay informed through official weather advisories as winter conditions continue to intensify across the region.
Also Read: Delhi Air Quality Slips Into ‘Severe’ Category As AQI Hits 408
To read more such news, download Bharat Express news apps
