Foggy weather in Delhi on Wednesday caused significant disruptions to both flight and train services. Several flights at Indira Gandhi International Airport were delayed due to poor visibility, while nine trains originating from various stations to Delhi were running late.
Among the delayed trains were Brahmaputra Mail (15658), Poorva Express (12303), Purushottam Express (12801), and GCT ANVT SF EXP (22433).
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), fog conditions were observed over parts of North Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and some areas of the Northeast. Delhi’s temperature was recorded at 10.4 degrees Celsius at 5:30 AM.
In addition to transportation disruptions, the air quality in the national capital remained in the “poor” category on Wednesday morning. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was registered at 262 at 8:00 AM, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. An AQI reading between 201 and 300 is considered “poor,” with levels between 301 and 400 categorized as “very poor” and 401 to 500 as “severe.”
To cope with the cold, many homeless people in Delhi continued to rely on night shelters. The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) has set up 235 pagoda tents to provide shelter, with night shelters spread across various locations.
Other regions in North India were also affected by fog on Wednesday morning. A dense fog cover blanketed Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, where the minimum temperature was forecasted to be 11°C.
Meanwhile, despite the cold weather, thousands of devotees gathered on the ghats of Sangam to take a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers, as part of the ongoing Maha Kumbh. The 10th day of the 45-day-long event saw nearly 8.81 crore devotees participating so far.
A cold wave continued to impact the Kashmir Valley, with Srinagar recording a temperature of 2.6°C at 5:30 AM.
The IMD has also forecast the possibility of rain in Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh, Delhi NCR, and North Rajasthan on January 22 and 23.
