Dense Fog And Cold Wave Grip North India; Flights, Trains Hit As IMD Issues Alert

Winter has tightened its grip on North India with dense fog and a fresh cold‑wave spell affecting large swathes of Delhi‑NCR, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh and parts of Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued fog and cold‑wave warnings for the next 2–3 days, cautioning that visibility may fall to 50–200 metres in many places during late‑night and early‑morning hours.

IMD Alerts For Fog And Cold Wave

According to IMD’s latest bulletins, dense to very dense fog is “very likely” over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi on 16–17 December, and over parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh through Thursday morning. Minimum temperatures in the northern plains are hovering around 8–11°C, with cold‑wave‑like conditions forecast for isolated pockets of Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.

The department has advised residents to avoid early‑morning and late‑night travel where possible, use fog lights while driving and stay updated through official forecasts as another western disturbance and moisture incursion could prolong fog episodes.

Flights And Trains Delayed As Visibility Drops

Dense fog around Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport has disrupted air traffic, with multiple arrivals and departures delayed and several flights cancelled or rescheduled. Airport authorities have switched to low‑visibility CAT‑III operations and urged passengers to check flight status with airlines before leaving for the terminal.

Northern Railway officials reported that dozens of trains bound to and from Delhi are running late by one to several hours, as locomotives slow down on fog‑hit stretches for safety reasons. Similar disruptions have been reported from stations across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, where thick fog has blanketed tracks and adjoining highways.

Highways Turn Risky, Expressway Pile‑Up Highlights Danger

Low visibility has also hit road traffic, particularly on high‑speed corridors such as the Delhi–Agra expressway, where a multi‑vehicle collision earlier this week killed at least four people and injured more than 20 after buses and cars rammed into each other in dense fog. Police and highway authorities have asked motorists to reduce speed, maintain lane discipline, avoid sudden braking and use hazard lights when visibility drops sharply.

Commuters across the northern plains are being advised to plan extra travel time, keep headlights and fog lamps on during early‑morning drives and postpone