In pics: Fog returns to Delhi NCR; 39 trains delayed; air quality worsens

As the cold wave continues to intensify across Northern India, train services on Wednesday have been hampered due to operational reasons, thus disrupting normal routine.

As per the Chief Public Relations Officer of the Northern Railway, 21 trains have been delayed, 13 cancelled and four rescheduled.

The Meteorological Department has predicted a maximum temperature of 25 degree Celsius with lows of eight degrees.

Furthermore, dense fog is expected to be seen in the national capital.

Delhi air worsens

The national capital and regions around it saw the best air-quality of this year on Tuesday.

Still rated "poor", considered an improvement from "very poor", the Air Quality Index (AQI) on Tuesday was 256 for Delhi against 330 or very poor on Monday.

 

The AQI was 224 for Faridabad (Monday 313), 114 for Gurugram, considered moderate (241 on Monday), 329 in Ghaziabad (390 on Monday) and 214 in Noida (315 on Monday).

The AQI is measured on the scale of 0 to 500, with values above 300 considered very poor.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the wind speed of Delhi on Tuesday was 15 kmph and the humidity further dipped -- oscillating between 41 and 73 per cent, leading to a rise in temperature and better dispersal of pollutants.

At 7.00 p.m, the major pollutant PM2.5 (particles with diameter less than 2.5 micrometers) was recorded 132 units in Delhi and 122 units across National Capital Region (NCR) -- both considered very poor.

However, none of the 24 monitored region across NCR fell into either "Severe" or "Severe-plus" category for the first time in the month.

Earlier this month, Delhi saw "poor" air quality on January 8, with AQI at 289 and on January 12 at 297.

However, the wind speed and directions are likely to change towards today, which may push the pollution levels in the NCR.

"There is cyclonic circulation over central Pakistan and western Rajashtan, which will change the present north-westerly winds to south-westerly. This will increase the pollution levels here," Mahesh Palawat, Director of private weather forecasting agency Skymet told IANS.

Palawat also saw a possible rise in the minimum and maximum temperatures as "the south-westerly winds are moist and dry".