A shroud of icy mist descended upon Delhi once more on Tuesday, cloaking the bustling city in a surreal silence. The bone-chilling cold, sharp enough to bite through layers of clothing, was a brutal reminder of winter’s grip. This wasn’t your typical morning nip; it was a deep, penetrating freeze that seeped into bones and chased away sleep.
Visibility plummeted, swallowed by the dense fog. Familiar landmarks dissolved into hazy apparitions, car headlights painting ghostly streaks across the shrouded roads. For the residents of Delhi, this was a familiar scene, a winter ritual that tested their patience and resilience.
India Meteorological Department report Palam Airport’s visibility 100 m at 7Am which became 0 m at 7:30 AM. Around 30 flights departing from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) were delayed, and 17 flights were cancelled due to low visibility amid dense fog.
Tuesday’s bite is particularly harsh. The thick fog snarled the city’s transportation arteries, leaving thousands of passengers stranded in limbo. Indira Gandhi International Airport, usually a hive of activity, transformed into a waiting room of anxious travelers. Flights were delayed, some diverted, others grounded altogether. Departures turned into departures in name only, planes waiting patiently for the fog to relent and reveal the runway.
On Monday, five flights were diverted and over 100 flights were delayed at the Delhi airport due to adverse weather conditions.
At railway stations, the scene was no different. Trains lumbered in hours late, appearing out of the mist like phantoms emerging from a forgotten era. Several passengers were left stranded at New Delhi Railway Station as around 30 trains including Rani Kamalapati- Hazrat Nizamuddin Vande Bharat and Howrah-Delhi Rajdhani Express were running late due to dense fog engulfing the national capital and coldwave conditions.Platforms overflowed with frustrated passengers, huddled together for warmth, their breath forming fleeting clouds in the freezing air. Announcements crackled over loudspeakers, each delay met with sighs and resigned shrugs.
For children bundled in oversized coats, the fog held a different kind of magic. Fantastical shapes emerged from the swirling mist, monsters and dragons whispered on the wind. But for those with deadlines to meet and loved ones to reach, the magic held little comfort. Every minute stretched into an eternity, punctuated only by the muffled coughs and frustrated whispers of the stranded.
Yet, even amidst the chaos, glimpses of human resilience emerged. Strangers shared scarves and food, stories and anxieties woven into the fabric of the waiting. Volunteers distributed chai and blankets, their smiles warm beacons in the fog-bound city. The shared experience, as frustrating as it was, forged a temporary community, a solidarity born out of circumstance.
As the day wore on, the sun, a pale ghost behind the veil of fog, began to fight back. Slowly, the mist thinned, revealing the skeletal outlines of buildings, then glimpses of rooftops, and finally, the blue, bruised sky. One by one, flights took off, their silver wings carving paths through the retreating fog. Trains groaned back to life, chugging out of the stations, carrying their relieved passengers towards their destinations.
By evening, the fog had retreated, leaving behind a crispness in the air that spoke of winter’s lingering power. Delhi, with its characteristic grit, had weathered another icy Tuesday, a testament to the enduring spirit of its people. They knew, however, that the fog would return, another test in the ongoing battle against winter’s chill. But for now, they basked in the fragile sunlight, the shared ordeal a fleeting, yet powerful, reminder of the strength that lay within their city, shrouded in mist or bathed in light.
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