Delhi weather: Dense fog and cold wave disrupt rail services, AQI soars to 'very poor'

NEW DELHI: A thick layer of fog blanketed national capital on Tuesday morning as a cold wave gripped the city, bringing a sharp drop in temperatures and biting winds.

The India Meteorological Department reported a temperature of 11.6°C at 5.30am, with a minimum temperature forecast of 8°C and a maximum of 19°C for the day. Dense fog was expected to persist throughout the day.

The fog caused significant disruptions to railway services, delaying around 25 trains, including Poorva Express, Vikramshila Express, RJPB Tejas Express, Patalkot Express, and Mewar Express.
Air quality in Delhi remained a concern, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 310 at 6am, classified as "very poor" by the Central Pollution Control Board. For the past few days, the AQI has consistently been in the "very poor" range.

An AQI ranging from 0 to 50 is classified as 'good,' 51 to 100 as 'satisfactory,' 101 to 200 as 'moderate,' 201 to 300 as 'poor,' 301 to 400 as 'very poor,' and 401 to 500 as 'severe.'
On Sunday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) revoked Stage-III restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR following a noticeable improvement in air quality.
However, Stage-I and Stage-II measures remain in effect. This decision was made after the GRAP Sub-Committee reviewed air quality data and forecasts from the IMD and IITM, which indicated improving trends.
GRAP is a set of emergency measures implemented in Delhi-NCR to address air pollution based on AQI levels. Stage-III restrictions, which include a ban on nonessential construction and a shift to hybrid learning for students up to grade V, were previously enforced on Friday but lifted on December 27 due to improved conditions.