Severe Rainfall Disrupts Rail Connectivity in Northeast India
Impact of Heavy Rain on Rail Services
File image of floodwaters inundate railway tracks in Upper Assam. (AT Photo)
Guwahati, Aug 6: Rail services connecting southern Assam with Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur have been severely affected for over two weeks due to heavy rainfall damaging the crucial Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section.
A senior official from the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) reported that train operations on this essential route have been partially halted following continuous moderate to heavy rainfall near the New Harangajao station in the Dima Hasao district.
The official indicated that the relentless rain has caused soil subsidence beneath two of the three tracks close to New Harangajao station, impacting nearly 300 meters of track and significantly disrupting train services.
Efforts to restore the damaged tracks are ongoing, but the persistent adverse weather conditions have complicated repair work, delaying the return to normal operations.
A large team of workers, railway staff, and engineering crews, along with heavy machinery, have been mobilized to expedite the restoration process.
"We cannot provide a timeline for when regular train services will resume. Normal operations will only restart once the restoration is safely completed," the official stated.
The settlement of tracks (Line 1 and Line 2) near New Harangajao has led to the disruption of services on the Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section.
Currently, all train movements on this route are being conducted through Line 3, with strict monitoring and enhanced safety protocols in place to ensure the safe passage of trains.
Due to the ongoing restoration efforts, the NFR has cancelled the Guwahati-Silchar Express on August 6 and 8, while other trains connecting southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur have been either rescheduled, regulated, or partially cancelled.
For passenger safety, the operation of trains through the affected area has been suspended during nighttime hours from 7 PM to 5 AM.
During the day, trains are allowed to pass through the impacted section under regulated conditions, with continuous monitoring in place.
As a result, several trains operating along the Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section have been rescheduled, cancelled, or regulated, according to the official.
This section is the sole rail link connecting Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, and southern Assam to the rest of India, making it a vital railway corridor in the Northeast.