Delhi schools to reopen tomorrow, no classes before 9am amid severe fog situation

Delhi schools reopening: Classes will not be held before 9am and after 5pm as physical classes in the national capital resume from January 15.

Delhi schools will open for physical classes from January 15, Monday as the extended winter break ends but as a precautionary measure for the prevailing foggy situation no school including double shift schools will start before 9am and no school will have classes beyond 5pm, an order issued on Sunday said. All teaching and non-teaching staff will have to report to duty as usual the order said.

On Sunday morning, the minimum temperature dropped to 3.5 degrees Celsius. (PTI)

On January 7, Delhi education minister Atishi announced that winter break would be extended till January 12 amid the ongoing cold wave situation in the national capital. "Schools in Delhi will remain closed for the next 5 days due to the prevailing cold weather conditions, for students from nursery to class 5," Atishi tweeted.

As the temperature dipped in Delhi intensifying the fog situation during the morning hours, there was uncertainty over whether the winter break would be extended for a few more days.

On Sunday, Delhi recorded its coldest morning with the minimum temperature dropping to 3.5 degree Celsius. On Saturday, it was 3.6, on Friday, it was 3.9 degrees Celsius.

Sunday's minimum temperature was four notches below the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department. The IMD has predicted very dense fog and cold wave conditions for more than two days in the national capital. The city could see dense fog till January 20, it said. The Palam Observatory near the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi reported dense fog with visibility levels plunging to zero metres by 5am. The IMD said that it is the longest duration of dense fog this season.