Guwahati | Train services on the strategically important Lumding-Badarpur hill section of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) were disrupted on Friday after a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall damaged railway tracks near New Harangajao railway station in Assam’s Dima Hasao district.

According to railway officials, the landslide occurred during the night of July 23 within the New Harangajao station yard, between kilometre markers 118/1 and 118/3. The incident severely damaged nearly 200 metres of railway track on Lines 1 and 2, causing both tracks to bend and rendering them unsafe for train operations.

Following the incident, railway authorities suspended train movement on Lines 1 and 2 as a precautionary measure to ensure passenger safety.

While Line 3 remains operational, trains are being allowed to pass through the affected stretch at a restricted speed of 10 kmph. The speed restriction has led to delays in the movement of both passenger and freight trains on the hill section.

The Northeast Frontier Railway has initiated restoration work on a war footing to repair the damaged tracks and restore normal operations at the earliest. Engineering teams have been deployed at the site, and senior railway officials are closely monitoring the restoration efforts.

Railway authorities said that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the safe resumption of train services. Normal operations will be restored only after the affected tracks are repaired and certified fit for traffic.

The Lumding-Badarpur hill section is a crucial rail corridor connecting the Barak Valley, Tripura, Mizoram and parts of Manipur with the rest of the country. Heavy monsoon rains frequently trigger landslides in the hilly terrain of Dima Hasao, posing recurring challenges to rail connectivity during the rainy season.