UP grapples with cold as locals huddle around bonfires, fog shrouds Agra's Taj Mahal

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 11 : Varanasi, Lucknow, Agra and several other cities of Uttar Pardesh continued to grapple with cold and fog on Wednesday.
The India Meteorological Department tweeted on Wednesday, "Very dense fog observed in many places over Haryana; in some pockets over Punjab; in isolated pockets over West UP, West Rajasthan, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal & Sikkim; Dense fog in many places East UP and in some areas of Bihar around 8.30 A.M in the morning."
Manmohan Mishra, a resident of Varanasi, said, "This has to be the coldest winter in Varanasi in eight years."
Even the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra was not visible from a distance as a thick blanket of fog shrouded the landmark.
A tourist told ANI, "The Taj Mahal isn't visible from a distance. One has to get closer to the landmark for it to be clearly visible."

People were seen huddling around bonfires in the streets of Lucknow as well.
Amid dense fog and coldwave, several trains were reported to be running late in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur on Wednesday.
According to the official authorities, most trains were running late by six to seven hours.
Passengers bore the brunt as the fog affected train services.
"Around 5-6 trains were running late by 6-7 hours due to foggy conditions. Some trains were cancelled," said Vinod, a passenger at Kanpur Railway station.
"The passengers are either huddled in waiting rooms or around bonfires outside the Central station," said Ghanshyam a passenger at Kanpur railway station.

The official added that it had been announced earlier that some of the trains would be cancelled.