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      Delhi weather disrupts local movement

      CarTrade Editorial Team

      CarTrade Editorial Team

      The dense layer of fog that enveloped the capital during wee hours of Monday morning disrupted the daily routine of Delhiites. Due to poor visibility which even went less than 50 metres at certain places, flight schedules were affected badly and even train services went offtrack. The adversity costed atleast one life in a road accident everyday. A 55-year-old woman lost her life when a schoolbus smashed into a scooty at about 8.30am on Sohna road in Gurgaon.

      Road traffic was worst hit as cars moved bumper-to-bumper due to low visibility. The school going children found themselves at the receiving end as temperature fell below normal. "I had a tough time steering through the fog. But this is just the beginning. It might get worse as the temperature dips," said Vivek Shukla, a school cab driver.

       

      Delhi weather disrupts local movement
       

      The airport authorities had a tough time as the instrument landing system meant for the main runway went out of order; however, the technical fault was rectified at the 11th hour and a possible crash was averted. The new runway was engripped by thick fog for about three hours.

      Approximately 200 flights were delayed on 26th December 2011, with some getting late by five hours. Moreover, a minimum of nine flights were cancelled as low visibility procedures were applied for almost 12 hours.

      The fog started to take its toll over Bihar, Bangladesh and Uttar Pradesh on 6th December 2011 and gave clear indication of its arrival in Delhi earlier. "Now, Delhi NCR, Haryana and Punjab have also come under the spell of this large-scale dense fog. It still covers most parts of UP, Bihar and Bengal including Patna, Dhaka, Varanasi, Lucknow, Gorkahpur and Allahabad. It is 13 days since this spell started and it is probably the longest lasting spell over the Indo-Gangetic plains since 1998. Before this a spell of fog had affected the plains between November 19 and 24," said an official.

      Although the maximum temperature was recorded one notch lower than normal, at 21.9 degrees Celsius, the day was cold as fog blocked the sunrays. The fog cleared in some parts for a short span of time during the afternoon but returned in the evening. Visibility at Indira Gandhi International Airport went to 500 metre by 7pm.

      R.K. Jenamani, Director In-Charge, IGI Met, said that the duration till which the fog would persist will depend upon a western disturbance that is currently over J&K. "The movement of the WD might actually lead to cloudy conditions. Maximum temperatures in that situation are expected to remain low. Even though the minimum temperature will rise, one is likely to continue feeling cold," he said.

      The bad weather conditions are here to stay for a considerable period of time and thus, travelling in the city, especially during early morning hours should be avoided.