Bihar floods: Ganga hits record high, rail services disrupted in Patna
Flooding in Bihar disrupts rail services near Patna and pushes Ganga above previous record levels, affecting over 10 lakh people.
Flood conditions in Bihar have worsened, with the Ganga river surpassing its previous highest flood levels at two locations in Patna and forcing the cancellation and diversion of several trains.
The East Central Railway (ECR) announced that train movement was suspended from 8:10 pm on September 4 until further notice due to high water levels near Bridge No. 21, located between Patna Sahib (PPN) and Patliputra Junction (PRBZ) stations on the down line.
As a result, ten MEMU passenger trains operating on the Gaya–Patna Junction and Patna Junction–Rajgir routes have been cancelled. These include trains numbered 63242, 63244, 63245, 63247, 63248, 63251, 63256, 63274, 63250, and 63253.
Several long-distance express trains have also been diverted to alternative routes. The Dhanbad–Patna Express (13329) and Patna–Dhanbad Express (13330) are running via a changed route. Similarly, the Banaras–Rajgir Express (15138) and Rajgir–Banaras Express (15137) have been diverted. On September 6, the Purnia Court–Hatia Express (18625) and Hatia–Purnia Court Express (18626) will also operate on diverted routes.
Meanwhile, the Water Resources Department reported that the Ganga at Gandhi Ghat in Patna rose to 50.53 metres by 10 am on Saturday, exceeding the previous record of 50.52 metres set on August 21, 2016. The river is forecast to rise further to 50.62 metres by Sunday morning. At Pandarak, the water level reached 43.78 metres, surpassing the earlier high of 43.73 metres recorded in August 2021.
Officials estimate that around 10.26 lakh people across 11 districts have been affected by the floods. Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary conducted an aerial survey of affected areas in Bhagalpur and Naugachia and reviewed relief and rescue operations, emphasizing the need for continuous monitoring of embankments.