Just days after the monsoon’s official withdrawal, a depression over Chhattisgarh has revived intense convection across north and central India. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on 26 September placed Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi-NCR, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh under ‘orange’ or ‘yellow’ warnings for the next 48 hours. IndiGo’s Ranchi cancellations and Indian Railways’ decision to slow freight between Itarsi and Kanpur were the first operational responses, but more disruption is expected as saturated runways and water-logged tracks reduce capacity. Airport operators in Delhi and Lucknow have activated low-visibility procedures and advised carriers to carry extra holding fuel. The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation has pre-emptively imposed 50 km/h speed restrictions on key sections susceptible to ballast wash-outs. For multinational companies with quarter-end travel, the timing is awkward: auditors and regional leadership teams moving between Mumbai, Delhi and manufacturing plants may face cascading delays. Travel managers should shift critical meetings to virtual formats or hub locations outside the alert zone, such as Hyderabad or Ahmedabad. The IMD says the depression will weaken by 28 September, but urban flooding in Delhi and Lucknow could linger, delaying road transfers to airports. Travellers should sign up for airline SMS alerts and monitor the IMD’s Nowcast service for route-specific warnings.
Source: Business Standard / IMD
