Smog, fog in Lahore causes flights disruption, motorways closure 

LAHORE: On Monday, commuters faced a difficult task as smog and fog engulfed Lahore and its surrounding areas, disrupting both road and air travel.

Travelers were inconvenienced by a number of flights at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport that were disrupted for unclear reasons, including dense fog.

Three flights operated by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) were affected; one of them, PK-303 to Karachi, left with a significant six-hour delay.

PK-304, the flight that was supposed to return from Karachi to Lahore, was also delayed and arrived at the airport five hours later than expected. There was also a delay on a Malaysian Air flight from Kuala Lumpur to Lahore.

Due to the prevailing smog and fog conditions, multiple sections of Punjab’s motorways and highways were temporarily closed at the same time. The motorway connecting Lahore and Islamabad, the M-3 section from Faizpur to Darkhana, and the M-4 section from Sher Shah to Shamkot were all closed. Motorway authorities advised drivers to avoid unnecessary travel in response to these closures in order to maintain road safety.

There has been a noticeable improvement in the quality of the air in Lahore, which ranks fourth with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 205. This beneficial change came after artificial rain was introduced, a novel strategy used for the first time in the city to reduce smog.

Read More: Lahore engulfed in Fog and Smog

Such interventions highlight the continuous efforts to address environmental challenges and improve the general well-being of the city’s residents, particularly in light of the ongoing concerns regarding air quality.