Daijiworld Media Network - Guwahati/Agartala
Guwahati/Agartala, Aug 10: Rail connectivity between southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and the rest of the country has remained disrupted for nearly a month after heavy rainfall and soil subsidence damaged railway tracks along the strategically important Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section in Assam, officials said on Monday.
A senior Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) official said train services on the vital Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section under the Lumding Division have been partially disrupted following incessant moderate to heavy rainfall in and around New Harangajao station in Dima Hasao district, formerly known as North Cachar Hills.
"A huge number of workers, railway personnel and engineering teams are working despite inclement weather, and heavy machinery has been deployed on a war footing to restore the affected tracks and lines at the earliest. However, we are unable to say when normal train services will resume. Regular train operations are expected to resume once the restoration work is completed safely," the official told IANS.
Tripura Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said the state government is in close contact with NFR officials and engineers to restore normal rail services after completion of the ongoing repair and maintenance work near New Harangajao station.
Opposition leaders, including those from the CPI(M) and Congress, have accused the Railway Ministry and the Tripura government of failing to take adequate steps to expedite restoration of the affected tracks despite the strategic importance of the Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section for southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur.
According to the NFR official, continuous heavy rainfall triggered soil subsidence beneath two of the three railway tracks near New Harangajao station, affecting a stretch of nearly 300 metres and severely disrupting train operations since last month.
"Restoration work has been progressing under challenging conditions, but continuous moderate to heavy rainfall and inclement weather have significantly hampered repair efforts, delaying the resumption of normal services," he said.
The settlement of the railway tracks on Line 1 and Line 2 near New Harangajao station has disrupted train operations on the section.
At present, all train movements through the affected stretch are being operated on Line 3 under strict monitoring and enhanced safety measures to ensure the safe passage of trains.
In view of the ongoing restoration work, NFR has cancelled the Guwahati-Silchar and Guwahati-Dullabcherra Express services since the disruption occurred. Several other trains connecting southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur have either been rescheduled, regulated or partially cancelled.
The Kolkata-Agartala Express, which was scheduled to commence its journey on August 9, was regulated en route in the Lumding Division.
For passenger safety, the operation of passenger-carrying trains through the affected section has been suspended during night hours. During the daytime, trains are being allowed to pass through the affected stretch under regulated conditions and continuous monitoring.
The Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section is the principal rail link connecting Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and southern Assam with the rest of the country. It is therefore considered one of the most vital and strategically important railway corridors in the Northeast.
Any prolonged disruption along the route has a cascading impact on passenger movement as well as the transportation of foodgrains, fuel, construction materials and other essential commodities to the region.
Railway infrastructure across parts of the Northeast remains particularly vulnerable during the annual monsoon season due to heavy rainfall, floods, landslides and soil erosion. Such incidents frequently disrupt passenger and goods train services along the Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section.
The four-month monsoon period from June to September often causes extensive damage to railway tracks, embankments, bridges and other infrastructure due to landslides, waterlogging and erosion, particularly in the mountainous terrain of Dima Hasao district.
Consequently, several northeastern states, especially Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur, along with parts of southern Assam, frequently face prolonged disruptions in rail connectivity with the rest of the country, causing considerable hardship to passengers and affecting the timely movement of essential commodities and commercial goods.