Delhi-NCR wakes up to dense fog with near-zero visibility, AQI crosses 450 in Anand Vihar and Akshardham. Here’s what IMD says

Residents of Delhi and NCR woke up to dense fog on Monday (December 15), reducing visibility in the national capital, thus making it difficult for commuters to travel smoothly. A dense fog covered the capital and the fog was so thick that visibility dropped to 5-10 meters. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for most parts of UP, including Noida and Ghaziabad, due to fog, urging residents to be careful. IMD said night temperatures may drop to 8.2 degrees Celsius. The weather has worsened the already poor air quality situation. As claimed by CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board), the air quality index (AQI) in Delhi’s Anand Vihar and Akshardham has been classified as ‘Severe’. It was recorded as 493. However, according to AQI.in, the AQI in the national capital was recorded at 586, which is considered at the ‘dangerous’ level.

Delhi AQI in severe category

The situation in the capital is critical right now; air quality exceeds the 450 AQI limit and falls into the ‘Severe Increase’ category. Delhi’s Ashok Vihar recorded an AQI of 500 under the same conditions early on Monday morning. Air quality in Delhi remains poor, probably due to air pollution.
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Although vehicle movements were low in the early morning hours, residents did not see any relief as calm winds trapped pollutants close to the ground. At 5 am, Delhi’s overall AQI was at 460. A series of videos on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) showed dense fog covering the city, leaving visibility so poor that driving became extremely challenging for drivers.
Images shared by news agency ANI show the thick blanket of toxic smoke engulfing Anand Vihar and Akshardham areas, with the air quality index recorded as 493, placing it in the ‘Severe’ category. Similar scenes were seen in Dwarka, where the AQI was 469, falling under the ‘Severe’ category.

Heavy fog expected in Punjab, Haryana

IMD has warned of dense fog conditions in Northeast India, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and northeastern Madhya Pradesh from December 15 to December 16. According to IMD, a Western Disturbance is expected on December 17 and this may bring cloudy weather to Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan. This could block winds from the northwest, potentially worsening air pollution and increasing smog levels. A slight improvement in conditions is expected from Tuesday.
“Dense fog conditions are likely to prevail over isolated parts of Uttar Pradesh in the early hours/morning hours on December 15 and very dense fog is likely to prevail over Uttar Pradesh on December 15,” the IMD said.

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Delhi Airport issues advisory

Passengers scheduled to fly from Delhi Airport on Monday should be aware that authorities have warned of disruption of flights due to dense fog. Delhi Airport, in a post on

IndiGo has also issued an advisory asking passengers to regularly check their flight status through its website or mobile app.

“Low visibility and fog over Delhi will impact flight schedules. We are monitoring the weather closely and doing our best to get you where you need to be safely and smoothly. We request you to stay updated on your flight status through our website or app. Rest assured, our teams are here to assist and support you every step of the way. We hope dear skies will help us serve you better soon and thank you for your patience and understanding during this challenging period,” the airline said in a statement.

(With agency input)