Smog delays 34 Delhi-bound trains, eight cancelled

NEW DELHI: As many as 34 Delhi-bound trains were delayed and eight cancelled on Sunday morning, because of poor visibility as smog continued to envelope parts of north India. Air quality levels across the city, meanwhile, remains in the 'severe' category.

The Northern Railway said that 21 trains were rescheduled and will continue running as per the revised timings till the air quality in Delhi improves.

Officials said that all signalling divisions of the Railway have reported that conditions in the morning are so poor that running a train is near impossible.

To avoid any mishap, Northern Railway has taken the decision, sources in the Railway ministry said.

Meanwhile, the Central Pollution Control Board assured that that condition of smog is likely to change after November 16.

Earlier, the India Meteorological Department had forecast light rain on November 14 and 15, which may help clear the smog.

CPCB's air quality index (AQI) showed its maximum reading of 500 at Vasundhara in Ghaziabad, 495 for Delhi's Punjabi Bagh and 493 at ITO.

Readings at all of CPCB's air quality monitoring stations were above 460.

Other north Indian cities also which showed readings above 400 include Agra at 420, Noida at 500, Gurugram at 461 and Rohtak at 459.

An AQI reading between 401 and 500 is ranked 'severe' on the index, meaning the air is dangerously filled with pollutants.

The CPCB further said that the concentration of PM10 pollutant on Sunday afternoon was recorded at 706.7 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³). The concentration of PM2.5 was 470.3 µg/m³.

At 11.54 am, PM10 levels at Delhi University rose to 614, while that of PM2.5 were 571, according to the System of Air Quality Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). At Lodhi Road, PM10 levels were at 560 and PM2.5 levels at 625, all categorised under 'severe'.