Railway services in parts of NE yet to resume amid landslides in NFR's Lumding Division

Uncertainty continued over the resumption of railway services, which are cut off between Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, southern Assam, and the rest of the country for the fourth consecutive day on Friday, as most railway tracks remained waterlogged and damaged due to the landslides in the Lumding Division of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR).  

Railway tracks in Silchar, New Haflong, Bandarkhal and Chandranathpur section faced damages due to waterlogging caused due to the incessant rains in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal earlier this week.

Amid the uncertainty about the resumption of railway services, road communications are also badly affected in several northeastern states due to flood in Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and other northeastern states.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have expressed their deep concern over the flood situation in the northeastern region and assured to help these states.

HM Shah spoke over phone with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Mizoram CM Lalduhoma and Manipur CM N. Biren Singh and assured them of the Central assistance to deal with the situation.

Prime Minister Modi posted on X: "Unfortunately, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and West Bengal have witnessed natural disasters in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal. My thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been affected there.

"Took stock of the prevailing situation. The Central Government has assured all possible support to the states and is continuously monitoring the situation. Officials are working on the ground to assist those affected."

Meanwhile, HM Shah wrote on X: "Deeply concerned about the natural disasters triggered by Cyclone Remal in Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Mizoram. Also briefed PM Modi on the situation, who expressed solidarity with those affected. Spoke to the respective state Chief Ministers, took stock of the situation, and assured them of all possible help.

"Our thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones and prayers with those injured for a speedy recovery. The situation is being closely monitored and authorities are providing all possible assistance to the affected."

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi also expressed their deep concern over the flood situation in the northeastern region and urged the government to normalise the situation at the earliest.

An NFR official said that railway tracks were either inundated or the water is overflowing over the tracks and the soils under the tracks washed away due to incessant rains or have been damaged in at least 10 places in Lumding Division in Assam's Dima Hasao district, which is a connecting route to south Assam, Tripura, Manipur, and Mizoram.

The official said that though the water levels of all rivers including Barak, Madhura, and Jiri are receding, the situation was not favourable to start full-fledged restoration work.

"Currently, intermittent rain and other adverse conditions also badly hampered the repairing work. However, our engineers and workers are working round-the-clock to restore rail services at the earliest," an NFR official said.

Since Tuesday, the NFR had cancelled more than three dozen express, passenger and goods trains to and from south Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Mizoram.

The cancellation of trains would continue till June 2, the official said.

Tripura Food and Civil Supplies minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Friday once again urged the people "not to panic" and said the state has got sufficient food stocks and enough petrol, and diesel stocks to last another week.

Chowdhury, who on Friday held meetings with the traders and officials to review the situation, told the media that he spoke to the NFR General Manager, who assured him that disrupted railway connectivity would be restored soon.

Passenger and goods train services have been affected in the region since April 25 owing to heavy landslides causing damage to railway tracks in the Jatinga Lumpur-New Harangajao section under the Lumding Division after heavy rains lashed the mountainous Dima Hasao district.

Considering the damaged railway tracks and weak soil in the region, the NFR recently operated a limited number of trains in the daytime on the hilly route, besides regulating long-distance, express and goods trains.

The disruptions in services caused a major shortage of transport fuel -- petrol and diesel -- and other essential goods in southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur.

Due to the heavy rain and landslides, highway connectivity was also affected in these states, which are heavily dependent on fuel, essential items, food grains and other commodities from the outside.