Srinagar , Nov 11: All evening flights to Jammu airport were canceled on Sunday, and Monday morning flights experienced delays due to poor visibility, officials reported. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had to travel to Jammu by road early Monday, as flight delays continued amid low visibility.
“Poor visibility in Jammu meant a sudden, last minute, road trip. Nothing flew in or out from Jammu yesterday so I had to saddle up and take the road to the winter capital,” Abdullah posted on X (formerly Twitter). Observing the dense haze, he added, “Looking at the visibility from the balcony of the official residence I don’t think flights will be operating any time soon today either. You can barely see the sun in the haze.”
The cancellations and delays affected services from airlines, including SpiceJet, IndiGo, and Alliance Air, leaving passengers stranded at airports in Delhi, Srinagar, and Jammu.
The Meteorological Department stated that the smog-like conditions would likely persist in the plains and border areas until rainfall clears the haze. Dr. Mahendra Singh, a meteorologist, attributed the poor visibility to the burning of stubble and crop residues, which is common in the region at this time of year.
He added that a western disturbance building up in the coming days may bring light rain and snowfall to parts of north Kashmir, which could improve visibility. Another weather system expected at the week’s end could further reduce smog levels.’
