Delhi: Moderate fog in parts of city

Pic/PTI

Moderate fog was observed in parts of the city on Wednesday with the minimum temperature settling at 7.1 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the year, reported news agency PTI.

The city continues to experience cold day conditions with mainly clear sky, according to the India Meteorological Department, reported PTI.

A yellow alert has been issued for "cold day" conditions in parts of the city.

Eighteen Delhi-bound trains were running late due to weather conditions and moderate fog, reported PTI.

The AQI in the city improved to "poor" category with a reading of 269 recorded at 9 am.

As moderate fog was observed in parts of city, Delhi's 24-hour Air Quality Index (AQI) on Tuesday stood at 366.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe.

As the bone-chilling cold wave continued to sweep Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and elsewhere across the North Indian belt, people struggled to keep warm.

As the mercury went into a free fall in Uttar Pradesh, people sat around bonfires to take the warmth from the crackling flames.

In the national capital, homeless people were seen huddling in government-run night shelters.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi experienced its coldest day this winter on Tuesday, with the minimum temperature dropping to 5.3 degrees Celsius.

It was still colder in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, with the minimum temperatures in Kanpur and Agra dropping below freezing point -- at 1.1 and 1.0degC respectively.

The night shelters in Delhi are aimed at providing a refuge to homeless people, who live on the streets and have nowhere else to go in the cold. The shelters offer blankets, beds, hot water, and food to those seeking shelter.

Meanwhile, traffic was affected in central Delhi near India Gate on Wednesday in view of the rehearsal for the Republic Day parade, police said.

The traffic police took to X to inform people about it and asked them to avoid the Vijay Chowk, Rafi Marg-Kartavya Path crossing, Janpath-Kartavya Path crossing and Man Singh Road-Kartavya Path crossing.

"Due to Republic Day Parade rehearsal kindly avoid Vijay Chowk, Rafi Marg-Kartavyapath crossing, Janpath-Kartavyapath crossing, and Man Singh Road- Kartavyapath crossing from 0700 Hrs to 1130 Hrs on 10-01-2024," it wrote on the microblogging platform.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)