Dense fog blanketed much of North India, with a thick layer of mist combined with pollution causing a dramatic drop in visibility on Saturday morning. A video shot from the Taj Mahal in Agra showed just how poor the visibility was in the region.
In the clip, filmed from the Taj View Point, a heavy fog completely enveloped the area, rendering the iconic monument nearly invisible.
Both locals and tourists were left frustrated, unable to catch a glimpse of the Taj Mahal.
One viewer responded to the video, saying, "North India winter doing VFX on a Wonder of the World. From the Taj View Point, the monument just disappeared into a white wall visibility was so bad that even the outline was barely visible, leaving tourists staring at ‘nothing’ where the Taj should be."
Another person joked, "I've definitely seen more of the Taj Mahal on postcards than in real life. Taj Mahal or Fog Mahal?"
"Where is the Taj Mahal, bro?" another user remarked.
In response to the freezing temperatures and dense fog in Agra, the district administration has decided to implement a key measure. According to a new order, starting from December 20 and until further notice, all council, aided, and recognised schools in Agra district including CBSE and ICSE schools will operate from 10 am to 3 pm for students in classes one to eight.
Meanwhile, Ayodhya was also covered in thick fog, reducing visibility and affecting daily life. According to the Meteorological Department, the minimum temperature in the city dropped to 9 degrees C, with the maximum expected to be around 17 degrees C.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for dense to very dense fog in several parts of India, including Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, on Saturday. The foggy conditions are expected to persist on Sunday.
According to IMD, a press release issued by the Meteorological Centre, Lucknow, dense fog conditions were recorded across large parts of the state over the past 24 hours, with visibility dropping sharply in many districts. Very dense fog, with visibility below 50 metres, was observed at Agra airport, Prayagraj, Kanpur (airport), Bareilly, Jhansi and several other locations.
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A western disturbance over north India and the weakening of the tropical westerly jet stream have also contributed to the prevailing weather pattern, it said.
Districts including Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Bareilly, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Noida, Gorakhpur, Ayodhya, Sultanpur, Rae Bareli, Sitapur, Hardoi, Etawah, Mainpuri, Aligarh and Mathura are among those likely to be affected by dense fog and cold day conditions, the IMD said.
The weather office has advised people to take precautions, especially during early morning hours, and urged authorities to remain alert as low visibility could disrupt road, rail and air traffic.
( With PTI Inputs )