Patna: Dense winter fog enveloping Patna and large parts of north Bihar on Friday caused widespread disruption to rail and air services, leaving thousands of passengers stranded as visibility dropped to just 100 metres in the state capital.
The Sampoorna Kranti Express was among the worst affected trains, arriving in Patna nearly 12 hours behind schedule. In total, at least 20 long-distance trains reached Patna Junction late, compounding commuter distress in biting cold conditions.
According to railway officials, delays included the Tejas Rajdhani Express, which reached Patna three hours and 53 minutes late, the Amrit Bharat Express with a delay of more than 11 hours, the Magadh Express running over five hours late, and the Haridwar Special, which also arrived nearly 11 hours behind schedule. The Shramjeevi Express was delayed by more than three hours.
Air travel was equally affected. Ten flights to and from Patna were cancelled due to poor visibility, including one pair each on the Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai routes, and two pairs on the Delhi route. Airport authorities said dense fog made safe landings impossible for several scheduled services.
Even flights that operated faced significant delays. The first aircraft to land at Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport arrived two hours and 33 minutes late. An Air India flight from Delhi was delayed by nearly three hours, while IndiGo services from Bengaluru and Delhi arrived more than two hours behind schedule.
Overall, 41 flights operated with delays throughout the day, forcing passengers to wait for extended periods inside the terminal amid cold winds and limited seating.
Weather officials said the disruption was caused by persistent dense fog linked to cold westerly winds sweeping across the Gangetic plains. With similar conditions forecast over the coming days, authorities have warned that further travel disruptions cannot be ruled out.
For many travellers, the fog-induced shutdown once again highlighted the vulnerability of transport systems during Bihar’s harsh winter spell, as rail platforms and airport terminals turned into makeshift waiting areas for weary passengers.
