A toxic smog enveloped the iconic Taj Mahal on Thursday, severely limiting visibility in several areas and causing significant flight delays, local media reported.
In Agra, the monument was barely visible from its surrounding gardens, while a dense fog also covered the Golden Temple in Punjab, as shown in footage broadcast by television channels.
Flights to Delhi experienced considerable delays, with Flightradar24 reporting that “88% of departures and 54% of arrivals were delayed.” Authorities attributed the smog to elevated pollution levels combined with humidity, calm winds, and a drop in temperature, which reduced visibility to just 300 meters (980 feet) at the city’s international airport. This situation led to diverted flights due to zero visibility on Wednesday.
According to the Ministry of Earth Sciences, pollution levels in New Delhi are expected to remain in the “severe” category on Friday before improving to “very poor.”
