Dense fog in Delhi, 30 trains delayed, 15 cancelled; air quality remains `severe`

A layer of shallow fog engulfing the national capital this morning has resulted in canceling of at least 15 trains.

NEW DELHI: At least 30 trains were delayed and nearly 15 were cancelled after a thick blanket of fog engulfed the national capital and adjoining areas on Thursday morning. 

In addition, as many as 11 trains were rescheduled by the Indian Railways due to foggy weather. 

The train routes were affected due to low visibility and other operational reasons. 

"There was dense fog in the morning reducing the visibility to 400 meters. The sky will be partly cloudy during the day," an India Meteorological Department official said.

The maximum temperature was likely to hover around 21 degrees Celsius.

Humidity at 8.30 a.m. was 95 per cent.

Wednesday's minimum temperature was recorded at 9.6 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season`s average while the maximum temperature settled at 21.4 degrees Celsius, one notch below the season`s average. 

Entire north India seemed to have come under the grip of severe cold weather and harsh weather conditions that have affected the normal life these days.

Over the last week, a dense fog covered several parts of North India, with the temperature dropping in Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. The dense fog has reduced visibility and affected travel by train, road and air.

Meanwhile, the pollution level in Delhi continued to remain severe with the concentration level of PM10 at Lodhi Road reaching as high as 325 micrograms per cubic metre on Wednesday night, according to the Central Control Room for Air Quality Management of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).