New Delhi: A heavy downpour drenched the national capital on Tuesday, leading to severe waterlogging in multiple parts of Delhi and prompted significant disruptions at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, leading to multiple flight diversions and delays.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier issued a red alert for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), warning of thunderstorms, hailstorms, and heavy rainfall. The alert extended to neighboring states, including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan, with severe weather conditions expected throughout the day.
As the skies opened up, roads across several parts of Delhi were submerged, bringing traffic to a crawl during peak evening hours. Meanwhile, the sudden change in weather conditions triggered chaos at the airport.
#WATCH | Delhi | Waterlogging in several parts of the National Capital following heavy rainfall.
(Visuals from Mahipalpur area) pic.twitter.com/QgV0Sy7ojx
— ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2025
In an official advisory, the Delhi Airport Authority announced that inclement weather was impacting flight operations. “As per the latest India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast, Delhi is experiencing inclement weather conditions from 15:15 hours IST today. Flight operations at Delhi Airport may get impacted,” read a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter). Authorities also urged passengers to contact their airlines for real-time updates and assured that ground teams were working diligently to manage the situation.
Airlines were quick to respond. SpiceJet warned of potential delays, attributing the challenges to “massive congestion” at Delhi Air Traffic Control (ATC) caused by the sudden downpour.
#TravelUpdate: We are experiencing massive ATC (Air Traffic Control) congestion at Delhi due to rain. All departures/arrivals and their consequential flights might get affected. Passengers are requested to keep a check on their flight status via https://t.co/2wynECZugy.
— SpiceJet (@flyspicejet) June 17, 2025
Tata Group-owned Air India also issued a travel advisory confirming operational disruptions and advised travelers to verify flight schedules before heading to the airport.
#TravelAdvisory
Due to inclement weather conditions in Delhi, our flight operations are getting impacted with some diversions.Please check your flight status before heading to the airport: https://t.co/6ajUZVeeIM
— Air India (@airindia) June 17, 2025
IndiGo echoed the same, citing a “slow and steady” operational day due to the weather.
Travel Advisory
⛈️Traffic in #Delhi is caught in a rainy day mood. It’s one of those ‘slow and steady’ days on the roads in #Delhi, courtesy heavy rainfall.
If you’re headed to the airport, we recommend leaving early and keeping tabs on your flight status on our app or website…
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) June 17, 2025
The IMD has forecast that unstable weather conditions may persist in the region over the next 24 hours, with intermittent spells of rain and thunderstorms likely.
