Heavy fog blanketing Mohali on Thursday, December 18, 2025, triggered a chain of disruptive events, impacting both road and air travel. The most serious incident involved a collision between two school buses on the Kharar–Kurali highway, resulting in injuries to a driver and three children.
School Bus Collision Amid Zero Visibility
The accident occurred on the service road in front of Jamuna Apartments during the morning hours. Extremely poor visibility due to the dense fog was cited as the primary cause. According to eyewitness accounts, one bus was traveling from the Kurali side while the other was moving in the wrong direction towards Kurali when the crash happened.
The buses involved were from Delhi Public School and St Ezra School, Kharar. The impact left the driver of the Delhi Public School bus with serious injuries. Three school children sustained minor injuries in the mishap. All the injured were promptly rushed to a nearby civil hospital for treatment. The condition of the seriously hurt driver required his referral to the civil hospital in Mohali. Local police have registered a case and initiated an investigation into the exact circumstances of the accident.
Airport Chaos: Flights Cancelled and Diverted
The fog's disruptive effect was equally severe at the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport in Chandigarh. Airport authorities issued a statement confirming that flight operations were severely affected due to very low visibility, a measure taken for passenger safety.
The fallout for air travelers was significant:
- Cancelled Departures: IndiGo flight 6E 7413 to Jaipur, IndiGo flight 6E 2113 to Delhi, and Air India flight AI 1879 to Delhi were all cancelled.
- Diverted Arrivals: IndiGo flight 6E 6448 from Delhi and IndiGo flight 6E 7414 from Jaipur were diverted to Delhi.
Authorities advised passengers to check their flight status directly with their airlines before heading to the airport, as normal operations were expected to resume only after a visible improvement in weather conditions.
Safety Concerns and Winter Advisory
This incident highlights the recurring challenges posed by North India's winter fog. The combination of the collision and the flight disruptions underscores a broader public safety issue during this season. It serves as a critical reminder for:
- Drivers: To exercise extreme caution, use fog lights, reduce speed, and avoid overtaking in low-visibility conditions.
- Travelers: To account for potential delays and stay updated on schedules, especially during early morning and late evening hours in winter.
- School Authorities: To review and potentially adjust transportation timings during severe weather alerts to ensure student safety.
As investigations continue, the focus remains on the recovery of the injured and the implementation of measures to prevent such fog-related accidents in the future.
