KHARAR, Dec 18— Several schoolchildren and two drivers were injured Thursday after two school buses collided head-on in dense fog in Kharar, officials said, renewing concerns over travel safety during winter mornings.
The buses, operated by Delhi Public School and St. Ezra International School, crashed amid poor visibility. The injuries were reported to be minor, and first aid was administered at the scene.
“The fog was so thick that drivers could barely see a few meters ahead,” an eyewitness said. “The accident happened suddenly.”
The crash comes as the Tricity region continues to experience intense fog during early mornings and evenings. The India Meteorological Department has warned that similar conditions are likely to persist over the next few days.
Fog-related accidents have become common in December across Punjab. In a recent incident near Sangatpura village in Moga district, a school teacher couple was killed when their car plunged into a canal due to low visibility. In another case near Abohar, dozens of students narrowly escaped injury when a school van collided with a bus between Panjawa and Tootwala.
Non-governmental organizations have urged the government to delay school and college start times from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. to reduce travel during peak fog hours. Instead, the government merged Christmas holidays with the winter break, sources said.
Social groups have also raised concerns over long-distance buses operating as early as 6 a.m., when fog is at its densest, and returning late at night with limited visibility.
“Every winter we see the same pattern of accidents, but preventive steps remain inadequate,” a representative of a social organization said.
