Fog disrupts services in eastern India

Services of airplane, locomotive and surface transport were badly affected in several parts of eastern India on Friday due to poor visibility caused by a thick blanket of fog.

Railway and aviation officials said hundreds and thousands of commuters remained stranded for hours at different locations in West Bengal and other parts of eastern India and northeast since dawn due to smoggy condition in the air that forced the authorities to suspend traffic.

Authorities at Dum Dum airport in the city said no flights took off till 10am as fog prevented visibility even at 100 yards.

More than 40 departure flights could not take off and more than a dozen arrival flights failed to land till 10 am.

Eastern Railway and South Eastern Railway sources said both local and long distance services were badly disrupted as the authorities were forced to either cancel or delay many trains.

Movement of vehicular traffic was also affected owing to the foggy condition.