Meerut Cold Wave: Meerut continues to reel under the combined impact of dense fog and biting cold. On Monday, thick fog persisted throughout the morning, with the sun making only a brief appearance in the afternoon. The maximum temperature was recorded at 16.5 degrees Celsius, nearly four degrees below normal, placing the day on the verge of being declared a cold day, while the minimum temperature dropped to 8.6 degrees Celsius.

The situation was worsened by a heavy blanket of fog mixed with pollution, pushing Meerut to the fourth most polluted city in the state. Despite the presence of sunlight, the cold remained severe. By evening, pollution levels surged sharply. At Pallavpuram, the PM2.5 concentration crossed 400 micrograms per cubic metre after 4 pm, having already reached nearly 300 by 1 pm. Similar conditions were reported in Jaybhim Nagar. By 9 pm, the city’s AQI stood at 332, while PM2.5 levels reached 443 micrograms per cubic metre.

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Visibility deteriorated drastically. Near Shopprix Mall on Delhi Road, visibility fell to around 25 metres by 9 pm. Traffic slowed to a crawl on the Bijli Bamba Bypass and on routes from Budhana Gate to Indira Chowk. Late at night, visibility was reported to have dropped to almost zero on the Karnal Highway and Roorkee Road.

According to Dr UP Shahi, in charge of the Weather Centre at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, there is no immediate relief from the prevailing conditions. A weather change is expected around January 1, when rainfall may bring some respite.

The fog severely disrupted rail services, leaving passengers stranded for hours. The Sangam Express arrived at City station six and a half hours late, reaching at 12:45 pm. Due to poor visibility, a train took two hours to cover the 30-km stretch between Hathras and Aligarh. The Shalimar Express and Golden Temple Express were delayed by two hours, while the Utkal Express reached the station five hours and 45 minutes late at 8:45 pm. Even local services were affected, with the Delhi–Jalandhar Express delayed by six hours and the Shuttle train by over an hour.

Adding to public hardship, widespread power disruptions were reported across several areas. In Pandav Nagar, residents faced low voltage from 7:30 pm to 10 pm, leaving households without adequate heating during the cold night. Mahesh Chand Sharma, president of the Pandav Nagar Development Committee, said the issue caused severe distress, especially for elderly residents and children. Authorities said no fault was detected in the local network, and inspections are ongoing at the sub-station.

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Power outages lasting five to six hours were also reported in Ashok Park and nearby areas of Shastri Nagar D-Block. In Phoolbagh, power supply from the New Surajkund sub-station has remained erratic for the past two days, with frequent daytime cuts.

As dense fog continues to blanket eastern to western Uttar Pradesh, daily life remains severely affected, with transport disruptions, pollution hazards, and power failures compounding the challenges faced by residents.