Republic Day parade in New Delhi fogged out

The Republic Day celebrations in the capital were fogged out today reducing the visibility to near zero level and depriving spectators of a clear view of the spectacular parade.

The fog suddenly started to descend at around 8 am on the Rajpath, where President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other dignitaries gathered at the saluting dais.

The dense fog deprived the spectators of a clear view of the magnificent parade, which showcased the country's cultural diversity and military might.

Four Mi-17 helicopters, which were scheduled to shower flower petals on the spectators, failed to do so due to the weather conditions.

Strong winds added to the chill and the minimum temperature was recorded at 9.4 degree Celsius as against yesterday's 10.3 degrees.

The Weatherman has yesterday predicted that Republic Day morning may be foggy.