New Delhi, Sep 5 — Heavy showers in Delhi and adjoining areas on Saturday morning disrupted normal life and prompted airlines including IndiGo and Air India to issue advisories to passengers travelling through the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.
India's largest airline IndiGo said adverse weather conditions in Delhi could lead to delays in flight operations and urged passengers to check their flight status before leaving for the airport. The airline also advised travellers to allow additional time for their journey as waterlogging and slower road movement could affect access to the airport.
Tata Group-owned Air India also warned passengers that flight operations to and from Delhi could be affected due to adverse weather conditions.
However, Delhi Airport authorities said flight operations were normal as of Saturday morning. In an advisory issued at 10:30 am, GMR, the operator of IGI Airport, said inclement weather was expected in the vicinity of the airport based on the India Meteorological Department's forecast, while airport operations were currently continuing normally.
The airport operator said its on-ground teams were coordinating with all stakeholders to ensure smooth passenger movement and advised travellers to contact their respective airlines for the latest flight information.
Delhi and neighbouring areas, including Noida and Ghaziabad, received moderate rainfall during the morning, bringing relief from the recent heat but also causing waterlogging at several locations.
Areas including the Palam Airport tunnel, Geeta Colony, Mandi House and Subroto Park reported waterlogging, affecting traffic movement and disrupting normal civic activity.
The rainfall also brought down Delhi's minimum temperature to 24.8 degrees Celsius, which was 3.4 degrees lower than the previous day.
According to the weather office, Safdarjung recorded 0.7 mm of rainfall between 11:30 pm on Friday and 5:30 am on Saturday. The station recorded another 1.3 mm of rain in the following three hours up to 8:30 am.
The IMD has issued a yellow-to-orange alert for Delhi and adjoining areas and forecast light to moderate rainfall across the region during the day.