GUWAHATI: The movement of passengers and goods, including essential items, has been severely hampered in southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur due to restricted train operations because of landslides and track damage, as per reports on May 8.
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The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) revealed that since April 25, the operation of trains has been reportedly impacted due to extensive landslides and track damage following heavy rains in Assam's mountainous Dima Hasao district, which acts as a crucial link to south Assam, Tripura, Manipur, and Mizoram.
Efforts are underway to restore services fully between Jatinga-Lumpur and New Harangajao stations under the Lumding division of NFR, with hundreds of workers and engineers engaged in round-the-clock repair work.
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Talking to the media, a senior NFR engineer stated that while debris clearance and partial track repair have been undertaken in mountainous areas, trains are currently only operational during the daytime, with services halted at night along the hilly route. To ensure constant monitoring of tracks and soil conditions, eight watch towers have been installed, enabling continuous surveillance by railway personnel. However, the timeline for resuming normal train operations through Dima Hasao district remains uncertain, given the challenging weather conditions and safety concerns for passengers and goods.
In response to the situation, the NFR has reportedly initiated long-term plans for constructing tunnels and elevated tracks to address recurring issues effectively. However, the restricted movement of goods trains has resulted in insufficient fuel and essential supplies in southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, and parts of Manipur.
Responding to this, the governments of Tripura and Mizoram have implemented rationing measures for petrol and diesel purchases for various vehicle types since May 2, as per reports.
Tripura's Food and Civil Supplies Department convened a meeting with representatives from the Tripura Merchants’ Association and Tripura Wholesale Grocery Merchants’ Association to assess the situation. While officials reassured that there's no immediate cause for alarm as the state maintains a food stock for approximately a month, they indicated intentions to escalate the matter to higher authorities for resolution.
