A thick shroud of fog descended on the national capital early Thursday, crippling air and rail travel as visibility dropped to perilously low levels. At least 40 flights faced delays at Indira Gandhi International Airport, while over 20 trains crawled into stations hours behind schedule, stranding thousands of passengers amid the winter haze.​

Indira Gandhi International Airport swiftly activated Low Visibility Procedures (LVPs), shifting to CAT-3 operations to ensure safe landings and takeoffs. Airlines including IndiGo and Air India issued urgent advisories, urging travelers to monitor real-time updates via apps as disruptions rippled through domestic and international routes. This follows a string of foggy mornings, with yesterday seeing more than 150 flight hold-ups and no respite in sight.​

Rail networks took a severe hit too, with Northern Railway reporting major delays on key routes from the north. The Vande Bharat Express arrived nearly 9 hours late, while the Prayagraj Express lagged over 4 hours; in total, 22 trains were impacted, echoing delays of up to 80 services in recent days.​

The India Meteorological Department pinned visibility at just 100 meters in areas like Safdarjung, exacerbated by Delhi's AQI spiking to 358 in the "severe" category. Health experts warn of risks for the elderly and children, as pollution-laced fog persists into the season's peak.​ Authorities advise extra travel buffers, app-based tracking for flights via airline portals, and NTES/IRCTC for trains. Delhi Airport's ongoing trials of advanced fog-prediction technology offer hope for fewer surprises ahead. Updates will follow as conditions evolve.