Patna: Dense fog and biting cold continued to disrupt daily life across large parts of north and east India on Sunday, bringing rail services in Bihar to near paralysis and leaving thousands of passengers stranded in frigid conditions.
At Muzaffarpur and other key junctions, more than 17 Mail Express and Superfast trains arriving from northern and eastern routes were delayed by several hours, with railway authorities blaming extremely poor visibility caused by persistent fog. Among the worst affected was the Dibrugarh–Lucknow Express, which was running more than 20 hours behind schedule by Sunday, testing the endurance of passengers confined to crowded coaches.
The Delhi–Katihar Champaran Humsafar Express was delayed by over 18 hours, while the New Delhi–Darbhanga Clone Superfast lagged by around 16 hours. Several other long-distance services, including the Vaishali Express, Swatantrata Senani Express, Pawan Express, Bihar Sampark Kranti Superfast, Avadh Assam Express and the Howrah–Kathgodam Express, were also running between one and four hours late.
Even premium services were not spared. The Jogbani–Danapur Vande Bharat Express, which is typically marketed for speed and punctuality, was among the trains affected as fog blanketed large stretches of the network.
Passengers described scenes of exhaustion and discomfort at stations and onboard trains, as cold winds and near-zero visibility compounded delays. Many said they had been unable to get clear information on revised arrival times, adding to frustration amid the ongoing cold wave.
Railway officials said trains were being operated at significantly reduced speeds to ensure passenger safety. “Dense fog across north and east India has severely reduced visibility. Trains are being run cautiously, which is impacting punctuality,” a senior official from the operations department said.
Weather agencies have warned that fog and low temperatures are likely to persist over the coming days, raising the prospect of continued disruption to rail traffic and other transport services across the region.
