18 Delhi-bound trains running late as fog impacts visibility

New Delhi [India]: As many as 18 Delhi-bound trains were reported running behind schedule due to fog, railway officials said on Monday. Flight services were also disrupted in the national capital with visibility dipping.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), dense to very dense fog conditions are likely to continue over north India during next four to five days.

Northern Railways reported that the Katihar-Amritsar Express was delayed by about five hours while Hyderabad-New Delhi Express and Jammutawi-Ajmer Pooja Express trains reported delays by around six to six and half hours each.

Similarly, the Rewa-Anand Vihar Express and Banaras-New Delhi trains were likely to arrive in Delhi over four hours late, as per the railways.

A three-hour delay is expected on the arrival of the Kamakhya-Delhi Junction Bthamputra Express, Railway officials said.

Two long-distance trains, namely Nanded-Amritsar Express and Prayagraj-Bhiwani Express are delayed by about two to two and-a-half-hours late each.

Besides, according to the railways, as many as nine trains were running late by about one to one-and-half-hours. This includes Amritsar-Nanded Express, Saharsa-New Delhi Vaishali Express, Prayagraj-New Delhi Express, Ambedkarnagar-Katra, Pratapgarh-Delhi Junction, Chennai-New Delhi, Amritsar-Mumbai Mail, Manikpur-Nizamuddin Express and Dibrugarh-Lalgarh Avadh Aasam Express.

Meanwhile, the Delhi airport has issued an advisory for flyers amid bad weather conditions.
“Flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected while landing and takeoffs continue at Delhi Airport,” the airport authorities said in a statement on Monday.

According to an India Meteorological Department release, the visibility was recorded below 200 metres at 5.30 am on Monday in various parts of the country including Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan, Bihar, Assam, West Bengal and Sikkim.

The IMD release further stated that very dense fog was reported in many parts of Punjab, some parts of West Uttar Pradesh, and isolated parts of Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim.

Also, dense fog was reported in some parts of Haryana and Chandigarh and isolated parts of Jammu division, West Rajasthan, Delhi, West Madhya Pradesh and East Uttar Pradesh, the release mentioned.
As per the release, moderate fog was reported in isolated parts of Assam and Jharkhand.

The IMD has also issued a weather forecast, predicting no significant change in minimum temperatures over Northwest India during the next 24 hours and a rise of about two degree Celsius thereafter for the subsequent four days.

According to the release, no significant change in minimum temperatures is expected over Central India during the next five days.

Also, as per IMD, no significant change in minimum temperatures is expected over East India during the next 24 hours and rise about two to four degree Celsius thereafter for the subsequent four days.