Over 50 flights delayed, trains rescheduled due to fog in Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 10 (UNI) More than 50 incoming and outbound flights were delayed today due to low visibility at both the international and the domestic airports here today, sources said.

They said five flights were diverted between 0836 hrs to 0920 hrs. Indigo 132 was diverted to Jaipur, Spicejet 102 to Jaipur, Deccan 620 to Lucknow, Kingfisher 231 to Ahmedabad and Jetlite 252 to Lucknow.

The sources said the safeguard procedure was initiated at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at 0723 hrs when the Runway Visibility Range (RVR) dipped to 1200 m with the visibility going down to 500 m.

The safeguard procedure was terminated at 1214 hrs when the RVR rose to 2500 m but visibility remained at 500 m.

The sources said segregated runway operations started at 1233 hrs and stopped at 1433 hrs before recommencing at 1614 hrs to be in use till now.

Train schedules were also hit by fog.

A Northern Railways press release here said the timings of trains -- Gondwana Express, Sadhbhawna Express, Rewa Expess and Agkranti Express -- have been rescheduled.

It said several trains, including Mahananda Express, Northeast Express, Puri Express, Samta Express and Awadh Assam Express, have been running late.

Meanwhile, cold wave conditions further abated in the capital today with the mercury rising to 13.2 degrees Celsius, six degrees above normal.

There was no nip in the air due the intermittent overnight showers received in the capital as the clouds hovering over the skyline led to a rise in the minimum temperature to 13.2 degrees Celsius from yesterday's 11 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperature stood at 23. 9 degrees Celsius, three degrees above normal.

Met office here said about 1.8 mm of rainfall was recorded in the capital since last evening.

Weathermen attributed the abatement of cold wave conditions in the city to the clouds in the skyline as well as the reversal of wind flow.

The Met office forecast a partly cloudy sky with the possibility of light rains and thundershowers in a few areas in Delhi during the next 24 hours. It expected fog tomorrow morning and said the minimum would hover around 10 degrees Celsius.

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