Air Quality improves to ‘moderate’ as heavy rains and strong winds lash Delhi

Winter chills returned to Delhi as incessant rains accompanied by strong winds lashed the national capital through the night and on Tuesday causing the mercury to dip several notches.

For the first time this season, the air quality also improved from the usual "very poor and severe" to "moderate" category as rains caused the pollution to settle while strong winds dissipated the particulate matters.

At 8.30 am, Safdarjung recorded 14.8 mm of rainfall, said an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official. Dark grey clouds covered the city as biting cold winds at a speed of 4.6 kmph greeted the early risers.

"Throughout the day, light to moderate rains accompanied by thunderstorms will cause the maximum temperature to drop to around 19 degrees Celsius. The minimum was expected to remain around 11 degrees Celsius," the Met forecast, and added that there was a high possibility of hailstorms occurring at some parts of the city.

The air quality at hotspots like Anand Vihar, ITO, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Mundka, Dwarka Sector-8, Ashok Vihar and Jahangirpuri improved to 'moderate' category.

Water logged roads though caused nightmares for the morning commuters, who faced a harrowing time on the roads and in the Metro.

The Delhi Traffic Police took to Twitter to issued advisories.

It asked commuters to avoid Lala Lajpat Rai Marg, Barapula, Defence Colony Flyover as a road has caved in near the Lodhi Road crematorium, in which a bus is trapped. Another road going towards the INA market from Barapullah has also caved in, the police tweeted.

Traffic is also affected on Rani Jhansi Road, Azad Market towards Idgah and Rafi Marg due to water logging. Besides traffic is also affected at Karala Chowk, PTS Malviya Nagar Red Light, Under Modi Mill Flyover, Azad Market Underpass from KD Chowk towards Azad Market, Narayana Flyover towards Loha Mandi, Defence Colony Underpass from Jangpura towards Lajpat Nagar due to water logging.

The other arterial roads jammed are Kela Ghat GPO towards Ring Road, Chatta Rail, Digamber Jain Mandir near Old Delhi Railway Station, Ashok Vihar Flyover(both carriageways) and Aurobindo Marg.

Traffic was also affected for sometime at Moolchand underpass, Bihari Colony under railway bridge on road No 57 and Chhatrasal Stadium main gate red light due to waterlogging.

On Monday the maximum temperature settled at 22.6 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal, while the minimum was recorded at 12.5 degrees Celsius, five notches above normal.