New Delhi, Dec 31 (UNI) The year 2025 closed under a blanket of grey as dense fog gripped the national capital and its surrounding regions on the final day of the year, offering no respite from severe winter conditions.
Visibility plunged to as low as 50 metres in several pockets, severely disrupting road, rail and air movement, even as city residents geared up to usher in the New Year amid hazardous weather.
According to the officials, at least 150 flights were cancelled and over 200 delayed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, Delhi airport’s website showed that at least 75 incoming flights and a similar number of departures had been cancelled till 8.30 a.m. In addition, over 200 flights, including both arrivals and departures, were delayed.
According to the Meteorological Department, the visibility at the airport dropped from 600 metres to 50 metres after 2.30 am. However, it is expected to improve after 9.30 am.
In an advisory posted on X, the airport warned passengers of possible delays and cancellations and asked them to check directly with airlines for updates.
The statement added that flight operations under the CAT-III instrument landing system commenced at 3 a.m. and remain in effect. Under these conditions, only CAT-III-equipped aircraft operated by specially trained pilots are permitted to land or take off.
Meanwhile, India Meteorological Department has warned that the wintry weather will remain strong across large parts of north India, with several states likely to receive rain and snowfall even as cold conditions persist.
In a statement issued earlier, the IMD had stated owing to western disturbance moving across the region it is set to trigger widespread precipitation over Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and adjoining areas between December 30 and January 1, 2026.
Fog is also expected to continue disrupting daily life, with thick to very thick mist forecast during night and early morning hours across Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and western Uttar Pradesh, and over eastern Uttar Pradesh till January 1.
The weather officials also issued a fresh alert, warning that Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir are likely to see spells of rain and snowfall from the evening of December 31 onward.
