Dense to extremely dense fog reduced visibility across Uttar Pradesh, shrouding the Taj Mahal and lowering pilgrim turnout in Ayodhya.
Road traffic slowed sharply, flights were delayed, and fog-linked accidents killed 25 people across five districts, including Mathura.
IMD warned low visibility may persist till Wednesday, issuing yellow and orange alerts for road, rail and air travel.
Daily life in Uttar Pradesh was hampered on Tuesday by dense fog and worsening winter conditions. In numerous areas, visibility drastically decreased, hiding sites like the Taj Mahal in Agra and causing a discernible dip in the number of morning pilgrims in Ayodhya.
Locals in Agra reported that the Taj Mahal was covered in dense fog for several hours in the morning, disappointing tourists.
"Due to the fog, even the Taj Mahal was not visible today, though it is usually clearly seen," said Ramesh Kumar, a resident.
At the Taj View Point, from where the iconic monument is usually seen in full glory, the structure remained hidden in dense mist during the early hours.
A visitor, Manoj, said the view was unclear in the morning, though the silhouette of the monument gradually became visible as the fog thinned towards noon.
According to temple employees in Ayodhya, the weather on Tuesday caused fewer pilgrims to visit. According to a temple employee, there were fewer devotees than on normal days.
To help travellers deal with the cold, pilgrim Abhishek Gupta proposed that bonfires be set along roadsides regularly.
Deepak Chaurasia, a local merchant, reported that the cold has gotten worse over the last several days, impacting both everyday operations and the number of devotees.
The weather also caused disruptions to daily life in the state capital, with road commuters slowing down and multiple aircraft from the Lucknow Airport operating behind schedule.
Fog caused Dr Mayur Singh's commute from Lucknow to AIIMS Raebareli, where he works, to take significantly longer than usual.
"Visibility was less than 100 metres, and I could not drive faster than 30 kmph," he told PTI.
Singh, who usually leaves at 6.30 am and reaches the hospital by 8 am, said it took him until 9 am on Tuesday. He also expressed concern over wrong-side driving by some vehicles, including trucks, during foggy conditions, which heightened accident risks.
Fog also slowed traffic movement on local roads and highways in the Kaushambi district, adjacent to Prayagraj, where vehicles were seen moving at a crawl. In Bareilly, resident Vinod Kumar said commuters were facing major difficulties due to low visibility.
"People are having to drive very cautiously and at extremely low speeds. In the city, vehicle speed has come down to barely 20-30 kmph," he said.
Anurag Kumar, another local, claimed that because fog increases the likelihood of accidents, pedestrians were also compelled to stay vigilant.
In order to stay warm, locals in Prayagraj and Varanasi were observed building bonfires in various locations and congregating by the sides of the road. Among those warming themselves by the fires were sanitation workers, who start their jobs early in the morning.
A Varanasi sanitation worker named Manoj told PTI Videos that they were depending on bonfires to keep working. Sushil Kumar, another employee, claimed that in order to combat the cold, they had begun donning more layers of clothing.
Even cars ahead were hardly visible in the morning, according to an e-rickshaw driver in Prayagraj, Sonu.
"I had to drive very slowly with parking lights on," he said, adding that the sudden increase in cold prompted him to wear gloves, a muffler and a jacket.
Abhishek Mishra, a city resident who went for a morning walk near the Yamuna bridge, said fog made visibility difficult, but the weather also had a certain pleasant feel once one adjusted.
Another resident, Alpika, said the cold was significantly higher than usual and could be linked to climate change.
In Etawah, residents said fog affected office-goers and schoolchildren.
Santosh Verma said some relaxation in office and school timings would help people cope with the conditions. He also said stray animals appeared distressed due to the cold and hoped local authorities would arrange bonfires at public places.
Another resident, Arvind Kumar, said fog, cold and dampness had made morning walks difficult and stressed the need for better lighting along walking routes.
Fog had an impact on traffic safety as well. According to officials, five significant traffic incidents throughout the state resulted in 25 fatalities and approximately 60 injuries. The districts of Mathura, Basti, Barabanki, Meerut, and Unnao reported the accidents; a multi-vehicle pile-up on the Yamuna Motorway in Mathura resulted in the largest number of casualties.
In the meantime, a lot of Uttar Pradesh had dense to extremely dense fog on Tuesday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which cautioned that low visibility is likely to continue in several areas till Wednesday morning.
Extremely dense fog, with visibility of less than 50 meters, was reported or was probably present in isolated areas in several eastern and western districts, according to a fog impact-based advice released by the Meteorological Centre, Lucknow.
The IMD said dense fog, with visibility between 50 and 200 metres, was reported or expected at many places across the state, including districts such as Prayagraj, Varanasi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Ayodhya and Barabanki.
For Wednesday, dense fog is likely at many places in both eastern and western Uttar Pradesh, with very dense fog at isolated locations, particularly in the eastern region.
Dry weather conditions are expected to prevail over the next two to three days, the IMD said, adding that yellow and orange warnings have been issued in several districts, advising caution as fog may affect road, rail and air traffic.
