Cold wave hits Bihar, fog reduces visibility

Patna: People in Bihar are experiencing a cold wave as dense fog continues to affect life in several districts.

Travel by road in the morning and evening hours is being done very cautiously. Low visibility has been a constant issue during dawn and dusk for the last two weeks.

According to MET Department in Patna, the maximum temperature in central Bihar areas like Patna, Gaya, Nalanda Begusarai remain 22 to 23 degrees Celsius while minimum temperature hover around 7 to 9 degrees Celsius.

"The temperature has dipped in majority of the places in Bihar due to a western disturbance in northern India. Winds blowing in from the Himalayan ranges has added to the chill.

"The wind speed currently is around 6 to 8 kmph.

"A cyclonic circulation is also developing in Rajasthan with wind speed of 2 kmph leading to further cold weather ahead. THe situation is expected to remain the same for next 3 days (till Tuesday)," a MET official said.

A cold wave hits when mercury drops below 10 degrees Celsius.

On January 1 and 2, the maximum temperature was recorded around 24 degrees Celsius in all these places while minimum temperature was around 7 degrees Celsius.

Resident complained of frost collecting on surfaces in many areas in north Bihar's Bettiah, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, Vaishali.

The situation is similar in Seemanchal areas like Purnia, Araria, Kishanganj and Katihar.

Minimum temperature at Forbesganj and Gaya was recorded at 5.8 degrees Celsius on January 2.

Sunil Kumar, 42, a resident of Patliputra colony in Patna said: "The temperature is not so low in our place but the chill in the atmosphere makes us uncomfortable. I had planned to go to Darjeeling for the year-end but cancelled plans as road journey would not be safe enough on the route."

"Bihar generally has four-lane highway like the Hajipur-Muzaffarpur and further from Darbhanga to Siliguri but their conditions are not good. There are proper signages lacking on these stretches.

"The connecting roads between Patna to Hajipur and Muzaffarpur to Darbhanga are either just two lanes where chances of accidents are very high," Kumar said.

People who had planned flights to Kathmandu, Darjeeling and Gangtok also been facing trouble, either due to cancellation or delay.

"I planned a holiday package in Kathmandu and Pokhara a month ago. When I reached Jay Prakash Narayan international airport Patna with my wife and son on December 31, I learnt that the flight was cancelled.

"We were accommodated the next day but had to bear the losses of hotel expenses for a day in Kathmandu," said Kishore Sharma, 35, a resident of upscale Nageshwar colony in Patna said.

Kartar Singh, 64, from Ludhiana, Punjab had come to Patna to visit Rakhe Harimandir Sahib at Patna Sahib.

"It was a present stay in Patna and the visit to the birthplace of our 10th Guru Sri Guru Govind Singhji Maharaj but out return flight has been delayed by three hours," Singh said, adding that it was difficult as the Patna airport has no comfortable lounge to accommodate senior citizens.