HAFLONG | Rail connectivity between southern Assam and the rest of the Northeast remains severely disrupted, with the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) yet to announce a timeline for restoring the rain-damaged Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section, the region’s only rail link to Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur.

The disruption, which has continued for more than two weeks, follows heavy rainfall that triggered major subsidence near New Harangajao station in Assam’s Dima Hasao district, damaging railway infrastructure and affecting train operations along the strategically important corridor.

According to a senior NFR official, continuous moderate to heavy rainfall caused the ground beneath two of the three railway tracks to subside, damaging a stretch of nearly 300 metres near New Harangajao.

Railway authorities said restoration work is underway but has been slowed by persistent rainfall and difficult weather conditions, preventing engineers from carrying out repairs at the desired pace.

“We are unable to say when normal train services will resume. Regular operations will restart only after the restoration work is completed safely,” the official said. The NFR has deployed engineering teams, railway personnel, heavy machinery and a large workforce on a war footing to restore the damaged section at the earliest.

At present, train operations are being managed through the only unaffected track, Line 3, under strict safety protocols and continuous monitoring. The damaged Line 1 and Line 2 remain out of service due to the subsidence.

As a precautionary measure, passenger train services through the affected stretch have been suspended during night hours between 7 pm and 5 am. During the daytime, trains are being allowed to pass under regulated speeds and enhanced safety supervision.

The disruption has forced the NFR to cancel the Guwahati-Silchar Express on August 6 and August 8, while several other trains serving southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur have been rescheduled, regulated or partially cancelled.

Passengers have been advised to check the latest train schedules before commencing their journey, as services are likely to remain affected until restoration work is completed.

The Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section is the only railway corridor connecting Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and southern Assam with the rest of the country, making its early restoration critical for passenger movement, freight transportation and essential supplies across the Northeast.