New Delhi/Lucknow/Chandigarh (IANS) Dense fog enveloped large swathes of north India yesterday, leading to three train collisions in Uttar Pradesh that claimed 10 lives and injured dozens, while three people were killed in road accidents in New Delhi.
Air, rail and road transport was severely hit across the region due to the heavy fog.
The train accidents took place in Kanpur, Etawah and Allahabad districts.
All the 10 deaths occurred in the Kanpur accident when the Gorakhdham Express collided with the stationary Prayagraj Express near Panki railway station, some 90km from Lucknow.
"As per reports, 10 people have died in the collision that occurred at around 9am," Kanpur Deputy Inspector General B.P. Jogdand said by the telephone.
"About 40 people were injured in the collision. They have been admitted to hospitals in Kanpur," he added.
The Prayagraj Express was headed for Allahabad from Delhi and the Gorakhdham Express was running between the national capital and Gorakhpur.
In the Etawah accident, the driver of Lichchavi Express was critically injured when the train rammed into the Magadh Express near Sarai Bhupat railway station, some 300km from Lucknow.
In the third accident in Allahabad, four people were injured when the Saryu Express collided with a railway maintenance trolley.
In Delhi, a cyclist, a 13-year-old boy and a motorist were killed in two separate road accidents caused by the blinding fog early yesterday.
There was chaos at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport and railway stations as hundreds of air and rail passengers were stranded as the dense fog led to several flights being grounded and trains delayed.
"A thick blanket of fog engulfed the city, reducing the visibility to as low as 50 metres this morning and throwing rail and air traffic out of gear," a met department official said.
According to airport officials, the fog and a fault in the instrument landing system brought flight operations at the airport to a halt, leading to delays in all morning flights by up to three hours and diversion of 13 international flights.
"All flights were grounded till 10:30am due to the fog. Flights resumed after nearly an eight-hour delay," said an airport official.
Four domestic flights were cancelled and international arrivals were diverted to various places including Jaipur, Mumbai and Ahmedabad, airport sources said.
