Fog affects train, flight schedule

LAHORE: In the wake of prevailing fog in different parts of the country, a delay in arrival and departure of trains is being noted at Railway Station Lahore.

Similarly, the weather conditions have been slightly affecting flight schedule of different airlines at airports and intercity transport service at city bus terminals. As per railways officials, different trains departed with a delay from Lahore Railway Station as these trains arrived with a delay from Karachi.

A spokesperson said Karakoram Express which was scheduled to depart for Karachi at 4:00pm was departed at 5:00pm. Similarly, Karachi-bound Karachi Express departed with a delay of two hours at 7:00pm on Friday.

The maximum delay of five hours was witnessed with the departure of Karachi-bound Shah Hussain Express from Lahore via Faisalabad at 12:00am. Meanwhile, owing to foggy weather conditions, Pakistan Railways Lahore Division has issued footplate inspection schedule which will be in place from January 5 to January 13, 2019.

As per the schedule, besides traffic inspectors, loco inspectors, signal and interlocking inspectors and assistant divisional officials would perform duties in train engines during day and night shifts. The press release said the measures were being taken to ensure safe journey of passengers on trains during the prevailing foggy weather conditions.

Scattered rain forecast: Smoggy weather with cold wave persisted in the City on Friday while Met Office predicted scattered rain with similar weather conditions for the next 24 hours. Met officials said a westerly wave in the the upper parts of the country might persist till Sunday morning. They predicted that rain-thunderstorm with snow over the hills was expected at scattered places in Malakand, Hazara, Rawalpindi, Lahore divisions, Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir, while at isolated places in Peshawar, Kohat, Mardan, Bannu, Sargodha, Sahiwal and Gujranwala divisions.

Foggy conditions are expected in South Punjab and upper Sindh during morning/night hours while snowfall over the mountains is also expected in Murree, Gilliyat, Malakand division, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.

Rainfall was recorded in a number of cities, including Malamjabba, 4mm, Saidu Sharif, Parachinar, 2, Balakot and Dir. Snowfall was observed at Malamjabba and Hunza. Friday’s lowest temperature was recorded at Kalam and Skardu where the mercury dropped to -09°C while at Astore it was -08°C, Gupis -07°C, Hunza, Bagrote -06°C, Gilgit, Rawalakot, Malamjabba, Dir -03°C, Parachinar -02°C, Chitral, Drosh, Kakul, Muzaffarabad and Bunji -01°C. In Lahore, lowest temperature was 02.5°C and highest 19.3°C.