Dense fog cloaks Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, UP; road, rail traffic affected

Dense fog continued and reduced visibility in most parts of Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, affecting road and rail traffic. The minimum and maximum temperatures are likely to drop to five degrees Celsius and 20 degrees Celsius in the next few days in the national capital, says an IMD report.

New Delhi: Normal life remained largely affected due to dense fog in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh. The harsh cold winter season has returned to envelope most parts with thick fog leading to poor visibility, traffic impairment and disruptions in services. General life was thrown out of gear at many places in the northern states with plying of buses at nights halted and school timings changed at some places.

For long hours, moderate fog cloaked Delhi, lowering visibility to 400 meters, affecting road and rail traffic. However, amid lower temperatures, high moisture and still winds, a layer of dense to very dense fog persisted over Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), very dense fog is when visibility is between 0 and 50 meters, 51 and 200 is dense, 201 and 500 moderate, and 501 and 1,000 shallow. The minimum and maximum temperatures are likely to drop to five degrees Celsius and 20 degrees Celsius in the next few days in the national capital, says an IMD report. Dense fog also forced the state government to change the school timings in Punjab.

Due to rising fog-related accidents in Uttar Pradesh, the state government decided to stop the plying of buses at night. Two persons were killed and 15 injured in separate accidents amid low visibility due to dense fog in different districts of Uttar Pradesh. Online reservations of night services will also remain suspended for the next month for the safety of passengers.

While on National Highway 16 of Andhra Pradesh's Palnadu district, eight vehicles collided with each other resulting in a pile-up. Fortunately, no deaths were reported. Local police and highway patrol personnel immediately reached the spot and, diverted the other vehicles.

Dense fog reduced visibility in most parts of Haryana and Punjab, affecting traffic movement. The fog reduced visibility in several parts of the two states including Haryana's Karnal, Ambala, Hisar, Rohtak, Bhiwani, and Panchkula, and Punjab's Amritsar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Halwara, Adampur, Bathinda, Mohali, and Rupnagar.

IMD says Bathinda in Punjab was the coldest place with the mercury settling at a low of 3.4 degrees Celsius. Amritsar also experienced a cold night with a low of 6.8 degrees Celsius. Ludhiana recorded a minimum temperature of 8.1. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recorded a low of 7.6 degrees Celsius.