Cold holds national capital in warm embrace, minimum temperature at 7.8 degrees celsius

New Delhi: Amid the biting chill prevailing in the entire North Indian belt, the cold tightened its hold on the national capital on Thursday, with the minimum temperature recorded at 7.8 degrees Celsius in the city, according to the India Metrological Department (IMD).

Earlier, on Wednesday, the national weather forecasting agency said the minimum temperature across North India was likely to increase by 2-3 degrees celsius in Northern India over the next three days.

Meanwhile, fog shrouded the national capital on Thursday even as the mercury continued to plummet. Amid the sharp chill, locals were spotted huddling around fires and sipping hot cups of tea at a roadside stall at New Delhi Railway Station.

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Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Mahesh Kumar, an autorickshaw driver from Bihar, said the prevailing cold weather was affecting their daily chores.

"Passengers are few and far between these days because of the cold. The chill makes us stay put inside our vehicles for the better part of the day," Kumar said, adding that they do most of their trips through the night till the crack of dawn when the cold is, perhaps, at its worst.

Another city resident, Muzamil, said, "We stepped out to binge on snacks and drink piping hot tea to keep ourselves warm. This is the only way to beat the cold."
Junaid, a regular bus passenger, said, "I am here to take hot tea amid the bone-chilling cold in the national capital."

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Meanwhile, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi, as per SAFAR-India (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research), was recorded in the poor category on Thursday morning. (ANI)

• #New Delhi