The India Meteorological Department (IMD) weather forecast indicates partly cloudy skies with light drizzle expected in isolated areas of the national capital on Wednesday.

As per the seven-day weather forecast bulletin released by the Regional Meteorological Centre, Wednesday’s prediction states, “Partly cloudy sky, possibility of drizzle at one or two places.”

A senior scientist from the India Meteorological Department mentioned to The Times of India, “On March 13-14, the temperatures will be slightly lower. However, after this western disturbance passes, there will be a rise in the maximum temperature. The skies will clear up, and there won’t be significant rainfall, leading to a natural increase in summer temperatures.”

The maximum temperature in Delhi on Wednesday is forecasted to reach 31 degrees Celsius, with a minimum temperature of 14 degrees Celsius, according to Delhi RMC. Cloudy weather is expected on March 16.

Delhi experienced its hottest day of the season on Monday, with the mercury hitting 31.4 degrees Celsius. The previous day recorded a maximum temperature of 28.4 degrees Celsius.

On Tuesday, the minimum temperature in the city settled at 14.2 degrees Celsius, slightly below the seasonal average, as reported by IMD. Concurrently, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 183 for the day, categorizing it as ‘poor’ at 9 am.

Regarding rainfall predictions for the north and northeastern states, the IMD has indicated widespread light to moderate rain in select areas of several states in North India and the northeastern region on Wednesday, primarily due to a ‘western disturbance.’ This weather pattern is expected to continue with varying intensities and distributions over the next seven days across different regions mentioned in the IMD’s weather bulletin.

The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), responsible for water supply in Bengaluru, has deployed 200 water tankers to address the water shortage crisis. Following numerous complaints about inflated prices for water tankers during the crisis, the district administration has imposed price caps based on the water quantity and delivery distance.

For delivery areas within a 5 km radius, a 6000-liter tanker will cost up to ₹600, while for distances between 5 km to 10 km, the cost will be up to ₹750. Similarly, an 8000-liter tanker will cost up to ₹700 for areas within a 5 km range and up to ₹850 for distances between 5 km to 10 km. Additionally, a 10,000-liter tanker will cost up to ₹1000 for delivery areas within 5 km and up to ₹1,200 for distances between 5 km to 10 km.

Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar held a special meeting with BBMP and BWSSB officials to address the water scarcity issue in Bengaluru. With summer approaching, he instructed both agencies to be adequately prepared in case the situation worsens further.

Previously, private water tankers charged between ₹500 and ₹2,000 for a 1000-liter tanker. To regulate the supply, the Karnataka government mandated that all private water suppliers must register with BBMP for their operations.

The state is grappling with severe drought conditions, with over 3,000 borewells out of 7,000 in the city having dried up.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has initiated the second round of e-auctions as part of its Festival Dhamaka housing scheme, starting with Middle Income Group (MIG) flats and penthouses from 11 am on Monday.

In a recent announcement, the land authority stated that buyers can now pay 75% of the flat’s cost within the stipulated timeframe mentioned in the Demand-cum-Allotment letter, deviating from the usual requirement of 100%. However, this flexibility applies exclusively to H1 bidders interested in flats in Dwarka’s Sector 19B.

The auction for Super Higher Income Group (S-HIG) flats will commence on February 6, while for High Income Group (HIG) flats, it is scheduled between February 7 and 10. The MIG flats are situated in Dwarka Sector 14, while the penthouses, S-HIG, and HIG flats are located in Sector 19B.

The DDA’s festival special scheme, launched in November last year, presented 32,000 flats across Delhi, including locations like Dwarka, Lok Nayak Puram, and Narela. Notably, this includes 1,130 luxury flats, comprising 14 penthouses, 170 S-HIG residences, and 946 HIG flats.

The penthouses are designed as four-bedroom duplex apartments, featuring a spacious plinth area of 424 square meters. Positioned in proximity to the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, these residences are expected to be ready for occupancy by early January, as per officials.

The first round of auctions, held in early January, garnered an enthusiastic response from buyers. On the initial auction day, 129 MIG, 138 S-HIG, and seven penthouses were booked. Officials reported a total of 296 bookings, with 274 confirmed sales.