By IANS,
New Delhi : Air and rail traffic was disrupted in the capital Wednesday by what appeared to be the season’s worst fog. Poor visibility led to delays in road, rail and air traffic.
The morning’s dense fog was due to a lack of wind, said a weather official. It brought visibility down to less than 100 metres.
“The fog is likely to persist with no winds prevailing. The situation may ease only if the wind blows,” an official of the India Meteorological Department told IANS.
Due to the poor visibility, 25 outgoing flights were delayed and two incoming flights were diverted.
“Twenty five flights from Delhi have been delayed and two incoming flights were diverted due to the reduced visibility,” an airport official said.
According to a Northern Railways spokesperson, four trains were cancelled and a dozen delayed.
Morning commuters had a tough time as the fog disrupted traffic signals at many places.
“Riding a bike in such foggy conditions can be very tricky. Also, disrupted traffic signals added to our woes, increasing commuting time,” said Nishant Arora, a marketing executive.
The minimum temperature recorded Wednesday was 6.6 degrees Celsius, almost two notches below Tuesday’s low of 8.4.
“The minimum temperature is 6.6 degrees Celsius while the maximum temperature would hover around 19 degrees Celsius. The temperature is normal for this time of the year,” the Met official added.
With the drop in the minimum temperature and the dense fog, many may not believe that Wednesday is Basant Panchami or the festival of spring. By the Indian calendar, this day is meant to mark the end of winter and the beginning of spring.