The state of Bihar is still shivering in the grip of a fierce cold wave as the westerly winds blowing through the state have brought about a sudden reduction in the temperatures over the past few days. The abrupt change of temperature to cold has disturbed the usual way of life, and this is more so in the early morning and later evenings, where the winds and the fog are icy, making the weather extremely cold. Minimum temperatures in a number of districts have plummeted much lower than the average seasonally, and the weather is not as pleasant as it normally is.
Heavy fogs have become a big issue in most parts of Bihar, particularly those near Patna, Gaya, Nalanda, Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga, among other northern areas. The low visibility in the morning hours has posed a major challenge to the transportation services. There has been a great impact on railway movement, where dozens of trains have been late by hours. Overnight, some of the long-distance trains were delayed, causing their passengers to be stuck in the bitter cold in stations. Lots of passengers were complaining about the congestion of waiting banks, the lack of proper heating systems, and the inability to access updated timetables of trains as fog continued to interfere with movement during the day.
The uncertainty in the timing of trains was also a major frustration to the passengers, as rail authorities had to slow down the speed of trains during the safety measures. To most families and people travelling to and out of work, the delays led to missed appointments, lost working hours and standing in queues under congested conditions. The road traffic also reduced drastically, with traffic crawling in certain areas, and the visibility was very low. A few districts reported early morning accidents and almost misses, although the authorities had urged motorists to avoid unnecessary travelling during the peak fog periods.
Physicians have advised citizens to be health-conscious, particularly the elderly, children and patients with respiratory illnesses. Cold winds and fog have also made it more prone to infections, cough and difficulty breathing. Local markets have been reporting smaller crowds in the mornings, and schools will have an option of making changes in timing, given that such conditions may get worse in the next several days.
The cold wave is predicted to continue with the westerly winds continuing to rule the area to weather officials. The fog intensity is predicted to vary, but it will be there as usual at dawn and morning periods throughout the week. The government has urged citizens to be careful, dress properly in warm attire and watch travel advisories frequently before making arrangements to travel by rail or road transport.
With Bihar struggling with the ever-increasing winter, people are in hopes that the fog and cold will be momentarily spared. So far, they are gearing up to endure several days of pain, travel inconveniences, and freezing winds blowing in the state.
