Chengalpattu: Heavy fog hits traffic, flights cancelled in Chennai

Fog Engulfs Chengalpattu, Disrupts Road Travel

Chengalpattu experienced the full brunt of the winter chill and dense fog on Wednesday, which blinded motorists and disrupted regional travel. Motorists were forced to drive slowly with their headlights on. In several areas, drivers faced considerable difficulty, with the impact being more severe on major roads such as the Chengalpattu National Highway and the GST Road.

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Commuters in Chengalpattu faced challenging morning routes on Wednesday as a thick layer of fog engulfed the district, turning major highways into slow-moving queues of headlights. Meanwhile, the atmospheric haze that followed a day of rainfall reduced visibility on the Road and led to the cancellation of 11 flights at Chennai Airport as northern weather patterns were reflected in the south.

Flight Services Disrupted

According to an official statement, four departing flights and seven arriving flights were cancelled during the day. The cancellations were attributed to persistent dense fog, adverse weather, and air pollution, which have affected flight operations across Delhi and several northern regions over the past few days. "Flight services in Delhi and other northern states have been severely impacted due to dense fog and adverse weather conditions. Several flights bound for Delhi were unable to land and were diverted to other airports," the statement said. As a result, flight services between Chennai and northern cities have remained disrupted.

Details of Cancelled Flights

On Wednesday, four outbound flights from Chennai to Delhi, Jaipur, Kolkata, and Ghaziabad were cancelled. Similarly, seven flights scheduled to arrive in Chennai today from Delhi, Jaipur, Patna, Pune, Kolkata, Indore, and other cities have also been announced as cancelled.

The cancellation of 11 flights in a single day caused significant inconvenience to passengers.

Air Quality Remains a Concern

Meanwhile, the national capital, Delhi, witnessed a slight improvement in air quality on Wednesday morning, with the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 328 at around 8 am, keeping it in the 'very poor' category, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Air quality improved slightly compared to Tuesday, with the AQI at 354 at 4 pm. However, large parts of the city remained enveloped in toxic smog, and the overall air quality continues to be poor.

Meanwhile, in Chennai, the AQI recorded was 95 as of 9 am, according to official data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). According to CPCB categorisation, 0-50 is 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor', and 401-500 'severe'.(ANI)