More foggy days ahead for IGI

The Indira Gandhi International Airport again witnessed dense fog on Thursday but fewer flights were disrupted compared with Wednesday as the fog did not stay for long.

The Indira Gandhi International Airport again witnessed dense fog on Thursday but fewer flights were disrupted compared with Wednesday as the fog did not stay for long.

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Low-visibility procedures were implemented at the airport from 6am as visibility started dipping. The procedures were lifted at 9.05am on the main runway 28 and at 9.25am on the new runway 29 after visibility improved.

A total of 90 flight movements took place using different categories of the Instrument Landing System. Five flights had to be cancelled due to fog at other destinations.

The met department has forecast worse fog conditions on Friday. “Very dense fog remained at the airport between 6.30am and 8.30am at both the runways and there were not too many disruptions,” said RK Jenamani, director-in-charge, IGIA met unit.

“The airport, however, is witnessing easterly winds at present, which are moisture-laden and would result in very dense fog on Friday,” he said. Jenamani said the airport would see foggy conditions in the next couple of days. Rain caused by western disturbances is also expected on January 23 and 24.

Trains affected
Many people were stranded at railway stations as almost all Delhi-bound trains ran behind schedule due to fog on Thursday.
The average delay time in the arrival and departure of trains was around six hours on Thursday. Fog hit east-bound trains hard. Several high-speed trains such as Rajdhani and Duronto were late by more than three-four hours. Around 20 trains had be rescheduled and more than 100 were running late on thursday. The northern railways had already cancelled 60 trains.