Monsoon havoc hits Assam rail network, NFR rushes to restore services

Guwahati: Ongoing floods and monsoon‑induced landslides in Assam have disrupted railway services in parts of the state, prompting the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to undertake urgent restoration work, officials said on Saturday.

More than 11 lakh people in over 2,000 villages have been affected and 1.15 lakh people have taken shelter in relief camps as the flood situation continues to remain grim, with the worst impact being felt in Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat districts. The overall flood death toll in the state has risen to over 61 so far.

The major rivers Dikhou, Disang and Dhansiri continue to flow above the danger level, aggravating the flood situation in eastern Assam.

NFR’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said extensive restoration works are being carried out on a war footing in flood‑affected sections under Tinsukia Division to restore normal railway operations at the earliest.

Between Simalguri and Lakwa, cess protection and formation strengthening works are underway. A ballast rake has been positioned at the site, while unloading of boulders from wagons is in progress to reinforce the affected railway formation.

In the Simalguri-Namtiali section, restoration of the railway formation is continuing with simultaneous unloading of stone dust and boulders to facilitate early reopening. Protection and strengthening works are also being carried out in the Amguri-Selenghat section, where sandbags, bamboo piling and rail piling are being utilised to stabilise the affected areas.

In the Simalguri-Sibsagar Town section, bamboo piling and cess protection works are in progress, while ballast is being mobilised to reinforce the track formation and expedite restoration.

According to Sharma, more than 700 labourers along with multiple heavy machines, including Poclains and JCBs, have been deployed across all affected locations. Materials such as ballast, boulders, sandbags, stone dust and rails are being transported and utilised continuously to strengthen the damaged railway formation.

Senior railway officers of Tinsukia Division are closely monitoring the restoration works, ensuring effective coordination, timely deployment of resources and adherence to safety standards.

The NFR CPRO said that due to settlement of railway tracks (Line‑1 and Line‑2) near New Harangajao station, train operations over the Lumding–Badarpur Hill Section have been disrupted. At present, all train movements on this route are being operated through Line‑3 under strict monitoring and enhanced safety measures.

In the interest of passenger safety, the operation of passenger‑carrying trains through the affected section has been suspended during night hours from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. During daytime, trains are being allowed to pass under regulated conditions and continuous monitoring. Consequently, several trains have been rescheduled, cancelled and regulated along the Lumding–Badarpur Hill Section.

Railway personnel, engineering teams and heavy machinery have been deployed on a war footing to restore the affected track section at the earliest. Normal train operations are expected to resume once the work is completed safely.

Every year during the monsoon season, railway infrastructure across parts of the Northeast is vulnerable to floods and landslides, frequently disrupting rail connectivity and affecting passenger and freight movement.

An NFR official said train services on the strategically important Lumding–Badarpur hill section under the Lumding Division have been partially affected due to heavy rain at several locations in the hilly terrain of Assam’s Dima Hasao district. The four‑month monsoon period, from June to September, often causes extensive damage to railway tracks and related infrastructure due to landslides, waterlogging and soil erosion.

As a result, several Northeastern states, particularly Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and parts of southern Assam, face prolonged disruptions in rail connectivity with the rest of the country, causing considerable hardship to commuters and affecting the movement of essential commodities.

IANS