Guwahati/Lumding | Severe flooding triggered by heavy overnight rainfall in Upper Assam disrupted railway operations on Monday, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded at Lumding Junction after floodwaters submerged tracks and railway infrastructure near Simaluguri in Sivasagar district.

The disruption occurred after the overflowing Dikhow River inundated the Simaluguri station yard, railway tracks, railway colony and surrounding areas, forcing the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to suspend train services between the Simaluguri–Namtiali and Simaluguri–Selenghat sections as a precautionary safety measure.

The suspension affected rail connectivity across Upper Assam, leading to the cancellation of several passenger and intercity trains, while multiple long-distance services were diverted, short terminated or short originated.

At Lumding Junction, hundreds of passengers, including women, children and elderly travellers, were left stranded following the sudden cancellations. Many passengers expressed frustration over the disruption and complained of inadequate information regarding alternative travel arrangements.

With large numbers of commuters waiting at the station for hours, railway authorities took measures to ease congestion and assist affected travellers.

The NFR operated a special train from Lumding to Jorhat for passengers heading towards Upper Assam. However, the service was unable to accommodate the entire rush of stranded passengers.

The Lumding Division subsequently established a passenger assistance booth at the station to provide real-time updates on train movements, guide passengers and facilitate alternative travel plans.

Among the services cancelled due to the flooding were:

•  Tinsukia–Jorhat Town Passenger
• Tinsukia–Lumding DEMU
• Ledo–Guwahati Intercity Express
• Ledo–Rangiya Intercity Express
• Dibrugarh–Simaluguri Passenger

Railway authorities also cancelled several return services, including the Jorhat Town–Tinsukia Passenger, Lumding–Tinsukia DEMU, Rangiya–New Tinsukia Intercity Express, Simaluguri–Dibrugarh Passenger and the Guwahati–Ledo Intercity Express.

Several long-distance trains, including Rajdhani Express services and Vivek Express trains, were diverted through the Rangiya–Rangapara–Dibrugarh route to avoid the flooded section. A number of other trains were either short terminated or short originated as operational adjustments.

To minimise inconvenience, the NFR arranged food packets, drinking water, ticket refunds and help desks for passengers affected by diversions and cancellations.

Additional transport arrangements were also made at Namtiali, where Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) buses and local vehicles were deployed to ferry passengers to Sibsagar Town station. From there, railway authorities planned special train services towards Dibrugarh and New Tinsukia.

Passengers stranded on trains that were short terminated at Selenghat and Mariani were also provided assistance for onward travel.  Railway officials said continuous monitoring and inspection of the affected track section are underway and services will resume only after safety conditions are restored.

Passengers have been advised to check the latest train schedules and operational updates before commencing their journeys.

The latest disruption highlights the recurring vulnerability of Upper Assam’s rail network during the monsoon season, with floodwaters frequently affecting one of the region’s most important transportation corridors and impacting thousands of commuters.