Rainy spell brings back nip, to last another day

New Delhi, Feb 13 Traffic jams, wet, muddy roads and hassled commuters. The heavy downpour Tuesday morning caught the capital unawares, adding a nip to the cold weather, but the good news is, the rainy spell should stop over the next day.

'By tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon the rains would have stopped, but the weather will remain cloudy. It will clear only after Feb 16,' said a Met official.

The incessant drizzle over the past two days has literally splashed water on to 'tight schedules' of people and many a plan has gone for a toss.

Richa Misra, a student of Delhi University, who on normal days takes about 45 minutes to reach the North Campus from her home in Mayur Vihar in east Delhi, took nearly two hours to commute. 'I had to attend two lectures today and I missed both,' she lamented.

Most school buses also went empty in the morning with parents deciding against sending their children, especially the younger ones, to school after heavy downpour in several areas since daybreak.

Office goers were probably the hardest hit. Sahil Sachdev, an IT professional, takes two hours to reach his office in Gurgaon from Rohini, northwest Delhi. But with the weather playing foul, it took him nearly double the time with the traffic moving at a snails pace.

'I think the whole day will be spent just travelling to and fro from office!' he said in good humour.

'I had to go back home to change since a car splashed water all over me. It's such a waste of time!' said Anjana, another office goer.

The rainfall till Tuesday, as recorded over the past 24 hours, was 22 mm as compared to 8 mm Monday. The met department said the sky could clear by late afternoon or evening Tuesday but a few spells of rain and thundershowers are expected.

The maximum temperature recorded today is 20.8 degree Celsius, two degrees below normal, and the minimum 11.2 degrees, one below normal.

(c) Indo-Asian News Service

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