Over 300 stranded as dense fog grounds Majuli ferries for hours

Dibrugarh: Dense winter fog brought transportation to a standstill on the Brahmaputra river on Saturday, halting 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.The disruption began early Saturday morning at Aphalamukh Ferry Ghat in Majuli. According to officials, the first scheduled service at 7:30am to Nimati Ghat in Jorhat was forced to remain anchored even after passengers had boarded. As the fog thickened, the 8am and 8:30am ferries were also grounded.“This season we are witnessing much heavier fog than in previous years. The visibility was so poor that one ferry could not even see another. For passenger safety, we had no choice but to halt movement,” said an Inland Water Transport (IWT) official at Aphalamukh Ghat.Over 300 passengers, along with numerous two-wheelers and four-wheelers, were caught in the delay. Many rely on the morning ferries for medical appointments, office commutes, and commercial activities in Jorhat. Similar scenes unfolded at Kamalabari Ghat in Majuli and Nimati Ghat in Jorhat, where vessels were held back as a precaution.“We were sitting on the boat for hours, unable to see the water just a few feet away. It was a complete whiteout,” said Darshana Pegu, a stranded passenger.As the sun began breaking through the haze, visibility improved enough for the IWT department to clear departures. The stranded ferries finally set sail one by one after 10:30am, nearly three hours behind schedule.The Brahmaputra ferry service remains the sole lifeline for Majuli. While construction of a permanent bridge is underway, the island’s population continues to depend on ferries, vulnerable to the river’s unpredictable winter weather. Officials have warned that if current fog conditions persist, commuters should expect further delays and are advised to check visibility before heading to the ghats.