Smog, fog delay flights in Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi; 151 trains cancelled

Fog during the early morning hours of Monday disrupted flight and train operations. Due to smog, flights were disrupted in Bengaluru and Chennai and as many as 151 trains were cancelled on account of dense fog in north India. Airlines have forewarned passengers of likely delays. Today, Tamil Nadu celebrates the Bhogi festival, wherein bonfires will be lit. Bonfires combined with high humidity, low temperature and moisture may cause smog, which will disrupt visibility further. 

On Sunday too, as many as 35 flights were delayed in Bengaluru, 30 in Chennai. The departure and arrival delays continued through the day at the airport and as many as 18 flights arriving at Chennai, some of which were flying from Kuwait, Sharjah and Delhi, had to be diverted to Bengaluru and Hyderabad airports.

"As a result of the fog, the departure of 35 flights and the arrival of another 16 flights were delayed," the airport operator Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) said in a statement.

The city recorded a maximum temperature of 28.8 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 14 degrees Celsius during the weekend, according to the Bengaluru division of India Meteorological Department (IMD). The tech hub's airport has an average of 300 departures and arrivals each on a daily basis at the city's Kempegowda International Airport.

Fog in Delhi

Meanwhile, Delhi – which celebrated Lohri on Sunday along with Punjab – woke up to a misty Monday morning. The minimum temperature in Delhi was recorded at 6 degrees Celsius. Flight to and from Indira Gandhi International airports were also delayed.

Trains affected by fog

As many as 151 trains were fully cancelled, 10 were partially cancelled, 21 trains were delayed on Monday. Doon Express was delayed by over eight hours, while Avadh Express was delayed by five hours.

Bhogi festival

Bhogi is the primary day of the four-day Pongal celebrations in Tamil Nadu. It involves burning of old articles in a symbolic gesture of bidding adieu to the old and welcoming the new. 

The government launches regular awareness campaigns ahead of Bhogi, aimed at smoke-free celebrations on the day. On December 31, Madurai corporation launched the ‘No plastic New Year and Bhogi’ event to collect plastic from the citizens.

The government conducts regular awareness campaigns ahead of Bhogi to promote smoke-free celebrations during the festival.