Train services remain hit in parts of Northeast due to landslide in hill section

Train services between South Assam, Tripura, Manipur, and Mizoram and the rest of the country via Guwahati continue to be suspended for the second day on Tuesday due to landslides blocking the railway track in the New Haflong-Jatinga Lampur section of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), officials said.

NFR’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said that in view of the landslide that led to the disruption of train services in the Lumding-Badarpur hill section, continuous efforts are underway by the railways and state authorities for the early restoration of services, which were suspended to ensure the safety of passengers and railway assets.

He said a high-level emergency meeting, attended by senior officials of the NFR, state government, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and other agencies concerned, was convened to review the situation and formulate immediate solutions.

The Northeast Frontier Railway is working round-the-clock by deploying heavy machinery, equipment and manpower at the site to clear debris and restore the track at the earliest.

Continuous joint monitoring and coordinated efforts are in progress, and train services are expected to return to normal as soon as the safety of the line is ensured, the official said.

The CPRO said that until restoration is completed, it has been decided to cancel/partially cancel certain trains for the safety of passengers. Passengers are requested to stay updated through official railway communication channels for further information regarding train movements and the restoration of services.

Sharma informed that as per estimates, around 50,000 cubic metres of muck and stones have come towards the railway retaining wall. At least 30,000 cubic metres is to be cleared so that work on the track can begin as early as possible.

He said that railway teams are working on a war footing and senior railway officials from Lumding Division and Headquarters (Maligaon near Guwahati city) are camping at the site to monitor and coordinate restoration efforts.

The railway administration deeply regrets the inconvenience caused to passengers due to unavoidable train cancellations and service disruptions and assures that all efforts are being made on a war footing to restore train operations while ensuring safety, the NFR CPRO said.

Passengers are advised to check for the latest updates on train services through official railway websites, helplines and social media handles.

Every year during the monsoon, several northeastern states, especially Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and southern Assam, remain cut off from the rest of the country for weeks owing to landslides, waterlogging and damage to railway tracks, leading to hardship for the people of the region.