Delhi shivers at 1.9 degree C, low visibility delays flights as fog envelops north India

Cold wave tightened its grip, while dense fog enveloped the national capital on Sunday (January 8), as mercury plummeted further in the north Indian states. Delhi recorded the lowest temperature of the season at 1.9 degrees Celsius.

Visibility takes a hit

Safdarjung area was the coldest (1.9), followed by Ridge (2.2), Aya Nagar (2.6), Lodhi Road (2.8) and Palam (5.2). The air quality index remained in “very poor” category with the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 359. Dense fog also took a toll on visibility which further deteriorated in the national capital, causing great inconvenience to the commuters.

Areas like Akshardham and central Delhi were the worst hit. The morning visibility was recorded at mere 50m in Delhi’s Safdarjung and Palam, whereas it dropped to 0 in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra and Punjab’s Bathinda. Other places in Punjab like Amritsar, Patiala, Ambala and Chandigarh record visibility at 25m. It was the same in Rajasthan’s Ganganagar.

Also read: Delhi reels under cold wave, dense fog; relief likely soon

Met office issues ‘orange alert’

Weather stations at Palam and Safdarjung recorded a low of 6.0 and 6.6 degrees Celsius at 5.30 am, respectively. There may be no let-up in the cold wave, as the Met office has issued an “orange” alert for certain parts of North India, including Delhi, for Sunday.

Flights, trains delayed

“Around 20 flights have been delayed at Delhi airport due to weather conditions, and no flight diversion was reported till 6 am,” said an official at Delhi airport.

The scenario was no different on Saturday, as over 30 domestic departure flights from Delhi airport were reported to be delayed due to bad weather and other related issues. Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) on Sunday issued a passenger advisory as a thick layer of smog engulfed the national capital, resulting in low visibility.

A Northern Railway spokesperson said 42 trains were delayed by one hour to five hours due to the foggy conditions.

Shelter homes for underprivileged

The Delhi government has opened shelter homes for the underprivileged in view of the increasing cold wave. The homeless flocked to shelters in their respective areas to get a hint of respite from the cold wave that is sending shivers through the national capital region.