New Delhi, Jan. 2 -- Delhi woke up to a thick blanket of smog and dense fog on Friday, leading to sharply reduced visibility across several parts of the national capital, even as Republic Day rehearsals continued at India Gate amid challenging conditions.

Drone visuals from Sarai Kale Khan captured low visibility early in the morning around 7:15 am, while ground visuals from areas near AIIMS, Akshardham Temple and other parts of the city showed roads, buildings and traffic shrouded in fog and smog. The cold wave conditions further intensified the impact, disrupting normal morning movement in several localities.

Delhi's air quality remained in the 'very poor' category on the second day of the New Year 2026. According to data from the Cen...