Flight Chaos in Delhi: 16 Diversions

Rain and Lightning Disrupt Airport Operations

Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport diverted 16 flights to Jaipur, Lucknow, Amritsar, and Ahmedabad due to heavy rain and lightning, impacting airport operations.

Ten flights were redirected to Jaipur, three to Lucknow, two to Amritsar, and one to Ahmedabad among the 16 flights affected by the diversion.

Vistara flight UK742 from Guwahati to Delhi was diverted to Jaipur due to adverse weather conditions and air traffic congestion at Indira Gandhi International Airport, as reported by news agency ANI.

Earlier in the day, Vistara flight UK778 traveling from Kolkata to Delhi was diverted to Lucknow due to air traffic congestion at Delhi airport, according to the report.

IndiGo issued a "travel advisory," stating that heavy rain had impacted flight operations in Delhi.

SpiceJet also posted a similar advisory, cautioning that all arrivals and departures at Delhi airport could be affected.

Delhi residents, meanwhile, expressed hope that the showers would help reduce the high pollution levels in the city.

This morning, monitoring agencies reported that the city's air quality was approaching the severe category, exacerbated by calm winds and cloudy conditions trapping pollutants.

The regional weather office had predicted light rain in certain areas of Delhi and its surrounding regions.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) scientist RK Jenamani, the clouds over Delhi are expected to persist until tomorrow. He mentioned that the cloud formation resulted from a western disturbance caused by intense circulation over central Pakistan, as reported by news agency PTI.

The minimum temperature in Delhi was recorded at 13.4 degrees Celsius, which is three notches above the season's average.

The day commenced with a windy morning and a forecast of a cloudy sky with light rain. At 8:30 am, the relative humidity was reported at 97 per cent.