Hyderabad: Three flights including two international and one domestic flight to Delhi to scheduled land at Chennai International Airport were diverted to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, due to reduced visibility in Chennai caused by ‘Bhogi smoke’.
Bhogi celebrated on the second day of ‘Pongal’, involves burning household waste ceremoniously as a symbol of new beginnings. However, this practice led to the formation of smog around Chennai airport and poor visibility.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Chennai airport authorities took precautionary measures and raised awareness to minimise the impact of smog on air traffic, for now, and diverted three flights including one domestic flight from Delhi.
Before the festival, airport authorities had requested residents near the airport to avoid burning waste to prevent smog formation.
