Reuters AlertNet Lite - Winter fog throws New Delhi transport out of gear

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Winter fog throws New Delhi transport out of gear

02 Jan 2007 07:54:17 GMT
Source: Reuters

NEW DELHI, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Thick fog wreaked havoc on New Delhi's transport systems on Tuesday, cancelling and delaying nearly 150 flights and dozens of trains, officials said.

Seasonally low temperatures of around 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit) have made for a bitter winter in northern India, and at least 27 people, most of them homeless, have died due to the cold over the last month, officials said.

In New Delhi, 88 domestic and international flights were cancelled and 50 delayed due to the fog, an airport spokesman said.

"Until 10 a.m. (0430 GMT) today, 50 flights have been delayed from 15 minutes to three hours," he said, adding that the disruptions began late on Sunday when visibility started to worsen due to the fog.

Aviation officials say many pilots, particularly those of popular budget carriers that have mushroomed over the past couple of years, are not trained to fly in poor weather conditions.

Television pictures showed chaotic scenes at the airport and complaining passengers.

"It's been an awful experience, my flight could not take off yesterday and then it got cancelled," an unidentified passenger told the NDTV channel.

More than two dozen trains bound for New Delhi were delayed by between one and seven hours, a railway spokesman said. (Additional reporting by Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow)

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Last updated:Tue Jan 2 07:56:49 2007