North India is in the grip of cold wave and dense fog. Traffic was affected due to reduced visibility in Jaipur, Ajmer and Agra. Jaipur’s AQI stood at 247 (‘poor’), while the air in other cities was in the ‘moderate’ category.
Jaipur: As the cold wave increases in North India, Rajasthan’s capital Jaipur remained shrouded in dense fog on Wednesday morning, causing a severe drop in visibility. Due to low visibility, commuters were seen driving on the highway with headlights on to reduce the risk of accidents. At the same time, people lit bonfires across the city to escape the harsh cold.
According to IMD, cold wave is going on in Jaipur, and the temperature is 19 degrees Celsius. Apart from the cold wave in the city, the air quality of the capital also deteriorated. According to CPCB, Jaipur recorded an AQI of 247 at 8 am, which falls in the ‘poor’ category.
Apart from Jaipur, other cities of Rajasthan were also covered with a thick layer of dense fog. Ajmer also remained wrapped in dense fog this morning. Like the capital Jaipur, this city also recorded a huge drop in visibility, due to which houses appeared hidden in the fog. Compared to Jaipur, Ajmer’s air quality was slightly better, where the AQI stood at 106, which falls in the ‘moderate’ category. 
Many cities in Uttar Pradesh also remained wrapped in dense fog, due to which visibility was reduced. For example, the city of Agra was covered with a layer of fog in the morning. The Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, was also hidden in the city due to dense fog.
According to IMD, the maximum temperature recorded in Agra was 12 degrees Celsius. Despite the fog, the city’s air quality remained ‘moderate’, falling in the range of 101-200, according to CPCB data. Other cities including Moradabad also continued to grapple with dense fog due to the cold wave, although their air quality remained ‘moderate’. Earlier, Delhi witnessed a slight decline in air quality, with the overall air quality index (AQI) reaching 300 at 8 am, which remains in the ‘poor’ category, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. Despite slight rainfall, the air remained relatively clear, and a thin fog blanketed the capital. Due to the cold wave prevailing in the city this morning, areas like Duty Path were immersed in dense fog.