Temperatures continue to dip in J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana; fog delays 16 Delhi-bound trains

A cold wave swept over the northern states of India over the past week, with heavy snowfall being reported in the higher reaches of the Himalayas. Meanwhile, rainfall lashed New Delhi and the cities and towns of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Meteorological department has predicted that temperature will hover around 4° Celsius in Delhi till the next three days, which would also have a negative impact on the air quality. IMD officials told The Times of India that the cold wave condition is currently spread across the northern plains, with snowfall also recorded in the mountains. As dense fog blanketed the capital, 16 trains coming into Delhi were delayed, according to ANI. [caption id=“attachment_5794961” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Getty Images[/caption] Meanwhile, temperatures dipped below freezing point in various towns across Jammu and Kashmir, which is witnessing the period of Chillai Kalan, the 40-day-long duration when the state experiences the harshest winter. Jammu and Kashmir is likely to receive heavy snowfall and rainfall on 30 January, an IMD statement said. In Drass, the minimum temperature was recorded at minus 31 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest place in Jammu and Kashmir, PTI reported on Monday. At 1.8° Celsius, Adampur was the coldest place in Punjab, while Haryana’s Narnaul recorded a temperature of 3° Celsius, making these towns the coldest locations of their respective states. In Himachal Pradesh, the snowfall gave way to sunshine on Monday morning, as Lahaul and Spiti’s Keylong was the coldest place in the state, with temperatures falling 17° below freezing point. A fresh western disturbance is expected to lead to widespread rain and snowfall in the state between 30 January and 1 February, PTI quoted an IMD statement. These adverse weather conditions posed a hurdle for the villagers of Mandi in Himachal Pradesh. When heavy snow blocked the roads in the area, an ailing 70-year-old man had to be carried on a palanquin to be taken to a hospital. He was carried by the villagers for nine kilometres, from Kal Chham to Chakudhar, from where a vehicle took the man to the hospital, according to ANI. The news agency further reported that over 300 machines and 2,000 people were deputed after 500 roads in Himachal Pradesh were closed following heavy snowfall over three days.