Dense smog engulfs Delhi-NCR, visibility drops to near zero; flights and trains affected, check weather advisory

Delhi-NCR woke up to a thick layer of smog on Sunday as cold wave continued to grip the national capital. Dense fog reduced visibility across many areas to near zero, causing travel disruptions and delays in flights and trains.

Weather alert for Delhi-NCR

The chilly weather has added to the discomfort, with air quality remaining in the severe category. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi is expected to face a cold wave over the coming days due to the impact of two western disturbances starting January 19. For Sunday, January 18, the IMD has issued a yellow alert for dense fog in Delhi. The minimum and maximum temperatures are currently in the range of 04-06°C and 22-25°C respectively.

As dense fog shrouded the city, leading to drastic drop in visibility, commuters were seen struggling to navigate the streets. Visuals from areas like Janpath, Nizamuddin, Akshardham, and DND showed commuters vehicles moving slowly, with headlights piercing through the haze.

Flights and trains affected

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport issued a passenger advisory on Saturday, which remains in effect for Sunday, January 18, 2026, amid persistent fog across the city. The advisory stated that flight operations are likely to be affected due to low visibility caused by dense fog. Passengers have been advised to plan extra travel time amid warning of dense fog in Delhi today, which is likely to reduce visibility across the city and disrupt both air and land travel.

“According to the India Meteorological Department, dense morning fog will continue tomorrow, leading to low visibility at Delhi airport. Some flight operations may be impacted,” the advisory stated. Meanwhile, dozens of trains in Delhi-NCR were delayed due to dense fog, with some services experiencing delays of up to 12 hours. According to the officials, affected trains include the Anand Vihar–Jaynagar Garib Rath Express (12436), New Delhi–Rajendra Nagar Amrit Bharat Express (22362), Delhi–Kamakhya Brahmaputra Mail (15657), New Delhi–Islampur Magadh Express (20802), Howrah–Jammu Tawi Kolkata Express (13151), New Delhi–Rajendra Nagar Patna Rajdhani Express (12310), New Delhi–Howrah Duronto Express (12274), Anand Vihar–Danapur Jansadharan Express (13258) and others.

AQI in Delhi

Delhi continues to grapple with deteriorating air quality levels, with Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage-IV measures in effect across NCR. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the AQI was recorded at 439 at 7 am on Sunday, which comes under the ‘severe’ category. Among the worst-hit areas are Anand Vihar (489), Ashok Vihar (463), Bawana (467), Chandni Chowk (464), Dwarka Sector 8 (469), ITO (448), Narela (412), Punjabi Bagh (476), RK Puram (467), and Wazirpur (478).