The season's first severe spell of dense fog descended upon Chandigarh on Monday, throwing air and rail operations into disarray. The thick blanket of fog led to the cancellation of multiple flights and caused significant delays in both arrivals and departures at the city's airport and railway station.
Flight Operations Grind to a Halt
The cascading effect of poor visibility, especially at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, disrupted schedules across northern India. At Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chandigarh International Airport, the adverse weather forced the cancellation of six flights.
Delays were widespread and severe. Officials reported that as many as 10 incoming flights landed behind schedule, with delays stretching from 26 minutes to a staggering 4 hours and 21 minutes. The situation was no better for departures, with 14 outbound flights taking off late, facing holdups between 21 minutes and 4 hours and 47 minutes.
Flights connected to Delhi were the worst hit. Key affected arrivals included Air India AI-1743 from Delhi (delayed by 4.13 hours), IndiGo 6E-2316 from Delhi (delayed by 3.42 hours), and IndiGo 6E-6375 from Ahmedabad (delayed by 4.15 hours). Other significantly delayed Air India flights from Delhi were AI-2532 (3.53 hours) and AI-2706 (4.21 hours). Flights from Mumbai, Kolkata, and Pune were also delayed by 25 to 57 minutes.
Major Delays Hit Railway Network
The travel woes were not confined to the skies. Rail traffic at Chandigarh railway station faced massive setbacks due to the fog. Several long-distance trains arrived hours behind their scheduled time.
The Kerala Sampark Kranti Express (12217) was the most delayed, arriving late by a massive 6 hours and 12 minutes. Other severely affected services included the Unchahaar Express (14217), delayed by 4.40 hours, and the Kalka Shatabdi Express (12011), which was 3.30 hours late. The Chandigarh–Karnataka Sampark Kranti Express (22685) and the Paschim Express (12925) were both delayed by approximately 3 hours.
Outlook Remains Fog-Dependent
With winter setting in, officials have cautioned that operations will remain heavily dependent on weather conditions in the coming days. The intensity of fog is expected to increase, potentially leading to similar disruptions. Travelers are advised to check the real-time status of their flights and trains before heading to terminals and stations.
The disruption highlights the annual challenge faced by transport infrastructure in North India during the winter months, with authorities relying on improved fog-landing equipment and revised schedules to mitigate the impact.
