Dense fog and cold weather disrupted transportation across northern India, including the capital, New Delhi, on Wednesday. Train schedules and flight operations faced significant delays as visibility plummeted due to the severe weather conditions.

India's Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for Delhi, predicting dense to very dense fog in several areas. At Delhi's primary airport, visibility dropped to between zero and 100 meters (328 feet), significantly impacting operations. Over 40 trains across northern India were delayed, according to local media.

Airport authorities, through social media platform X, cautioned passengers about delays, noting that flights not equipped with the CAT III navigation system, which allows for landings in low visibility, would face challenges. Delhi's main airport, which manages approximately 1,400 flights daily, experienced multiple delays.

"Low visibility and fog over Delhi may lead to some delays," IndiGo, India's largest airline, stated on social media.

Reports also depicted highways engulfed in fog, forcing vehicles to crawl at slow speeds, while residents huddled indoors as temperatures fell to 7°C (44.6°F).

In addition to weather-related challenges, New Delhi ranked as the world’s most polluted city on Wednesday, according to live data from Swiss air quality group IQAir. The city recorded a "very unhealthy" air quality index (AQI) of 254, exacerbating health risks for residents already grappling with the winter smog.

The capital has been battling deteriorating air quality throughout the season, with pollution and smog continuing to impact daily life. Authorities and residents alike are bracing for further disruptions as weather conditions persist.