Dense winter fog brought transportation to a standstill on the Brahmaputra River on Saturday, disrupting the vital ferry link between the world’s largest river island, Majuli, and the mainland district of Jorhat. The suspension of services left hundreds of commuters and dozens of vehicles stranded for several hours in near-zero visibility conditions.
The disruption began early Saturday morning at the Aphalamukh Ferry Ghat in Majuli. According to officials, the first scheduled service at 7.30 am to Nimati Ghat in Jorhat was forced to remain at anchor even after passengers had fully boarded. The situation worsened as the fog thickened, leading to the grounding of the 8 am and 8.30 am ferries as well.
“This season we are witnessing much heavier fog than in previous years. The visibility was so poor that we could not even see one ferry from another. For the safety of the passengers, we had no choice but to halt movement,” said an Inland Water Transport (IWT) official at the Aphalamukh Ghat.
Over 300 passengers, along with numerous two-wheelers and four-wheelers, were caught in the delay. Many of these travelers rely on the morning ferries for medical appointments, office commutes, and commercial activities in Jorhat. Similar scenes were reported at the Kamalabari Ghat in Majuli and Nimati Ghat in Jorhat, where vessels were held back as a precautionary measure.
“We were sitting on the boat for hours, unable to see the water just a few feet away. It was a complete whiteout,” shared Darshana Pegu, a stranded passenger.
As the sun began to break through the haze, visibility improved sufficiently for the Inland Water Transport department to clear the vessels for departure. The stranded ferries finally began setting sail one by one after 10.30 am, nearly three hours behind schedule.
The Brahmaputra ferry service remains the sole lifeline for the riverine district of Majuli. While the construction of a permanent bridge is underway, the island’s population continues to be at the mercy of the river’s unpredictable weather conditions during the winter months.
Officials have warned that if the current weather pattern persists, commuters should expect further delays in the coming weeks and are advised to check visibility conditions before heading to the banks.
