A dense layer of fog blanketed Delhi on Friday as temperatures dropped to 10.8 degrees Celsius in the early morning, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). With the chill intensifying, many homeless individuals sought refuge in night shelters set up by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB). A total of 235 pagoda tents have been installed across the city in key locations such as AIIMS, Lodhi Road, and Nizamuddin flyover to provide relief from the cold.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 350 at 7 am, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The city’s air pollution levels have been consistently high, with the AQI standing at 327 just two days earlier. The AQI scale categorizes air quality from ‘good’ (0-50) to ‘severe’ (401-500), indicating that Delhi’s air remains hazardous for residents.
Cold weather conditions also gripped other parts of North India. In Prayagraj, devotees continued to arrive for the Maha Kumbh despite chilly temperatures, with the city recording a minimum of 16 degrees Celsius. The religious gathering, which began on January 13, will continue until February 26, with key bathing dates including February 3, 12, and 26. In Jammu and Kashmir, temperatures plummeted to single digits, with Srinagar recording 2.4 degrees Celsius, while Gulmarg and Pahalgam saw sub-zero temperatures of -2 and -0.8 degrees Celsius, respectively. The IMD defines a cold wave as when temperatures drop to 10 degrees Celsius or lower in plains and 0 degrees or less in hilly regions.