Guwahati/Agartala, Aug 10: Rail connectivity between southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur and the rest of the country has remained disrupted for nearly a month after heavy rainfall and soil subsidence damaged railway tracks on the strategically important Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section in Assam.
A senior Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) official said incessant rainfall around New Harangajao station in Dima Hasao district triggered soil subsidence beneath two of the three railway tracks, affecting a stretch of nearly 300 metres.
Railway personnel, engineering teams and a large number of workers have been deployed along with heavy machinery to restore the damaged tracks. However, officials have not specified when normal services will resume, citing difficult weather and terrain.
“Regular train operations are expected to resume once the restoration work is completed safely,” the NFR official said.
Tripura Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said state government officials were in close contact with NFR authorities and engineers regarding the restoration work.
Meanwhile, opposition parties, including the CPI(M) and Congress, have accused the Railway Ministry and the Tripura government of failing to expedite restoration despite the route’s strategic importance.
According to NFR, Line 1 and Line 2 near New Harangajao have been affected by track settlement. Train movements through the stretch are currently being operated on Line 3 under strict monitoring and enhanced safety measures.
The Guwahati-Silchar and Guwahati-Dullabcherra Express services have remained cancelled since the disruption, while several other trains connecting Tripura and other Northeastern states have been rescheduled, regulated or partially cancelled.
The Kolkata-Agartala Express, scheduled to begin its journey on August 9, was regulated en route in the Lumding Division.
Passenger trains have also been barred from passing through the affected section during night hours as a safety precaution. During daytime, trains are being operated under regulated conditions and continuous monitoring.
The Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section serves as the principal railway corridor connecting Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and southern Assam with the rest of India. Prolonged disruption affects both passengers and the movement of foodgrains, fuel and other essential commodities.
The section remains particularly vulnerable during the monsoon, when heavy rainfall frequently triggers landslides, erosion and damage to railway infrastructure in the mountainous Dima Hasao district.
