New Delhi: Increased pollution and dense smog in Delhi on Diwali night also affected air traffic. At Indira Gandhi International Airport, low visibility forced the implementation of this winter season’s first Low Visibility Procedure (LVP). Extra caution was taken in aircraft operations because of the layer of haze and pollution. Flight timings were also affected, with nearly 44 percent of departing flights operating late between Sunday midnight and 8 pm on Monday.
According to available data, the affected flights recorded an average delay of about 20 minutes. However, arrivals during the same period operated almost normally. The airport administration had advised passengers to keep checking the latest updates on their flights in view of the low-visibility conditions.
What is Low Visibility Procedure? Low Visibility Procedure is a special safety arrangement implemented when runway visibility falls below prescribed standards. Under it, safe separation between aircraft is increased and their movement on runways and taxiways is regulated. For safe landing and takeoff in low visibility, modern instrument landing technologies such as CAT-III and trained pilots are used.
Smog worsened difficulties. Smoke from firecrackers on Diwali, vehicular emissions and already existing pollution further deteriorated Delhi’s air. A drop in temperature and slow wind speed allowed pollutant particles to remain trapped in the lower part of the atmosphere. This created a thick layer of smog and affected visibility. Its impact was seen on road traffic as well as air services.
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