Guwahati, June 24: Train services on the crucial Lumding–Badarpur hill section remain suspended for the second day on Tuesday after a massive landslide caused widespread damage and left a major portion of the rail line buried under debris. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), in coordination with state authorities, is working round the clock to restore operations on a war footing.
A high-level emergency meeting was convened to assess the situation and coordinate a multi-agency response. Senior officials from NFR, the Assam government, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and other relevant bodies attended the meeting and discussed strategies for immediate clearance and safety measures.
Railway officials said that approximately 50,000 cubic metres of muck and debris had crashed into the railway’s retaining wall. Of this, at least 30,000 cubic metres must be cleared before repair work on the affected track can begin. Heavy machinery, manpower, and equipment have been deployed at the site, and senior officials from Lumding Division and Railway Headquarters are camping there to oversee the efforts.
The landslide has forced the cancellation and partial cancellation of several trains. On June 24, the Rangiya–Silchar Express (Train No. 15611), Silchar–Rangiya Express (Train No. 15612), and Guwahati–Silchar Express (Train No. 15615) were fully cancelled. More cancellations will follow on June 25, including the Silchar–Guwahati Express (Train No. 15616), Guwahati–Badarpur Tourist Express (Train Nos. 15888/15887), and New Delhi–Guwahati PSK Express (Train No. 22450). The SMVT Bengaluru–Agartala Humsafar Express (Train No. 12503) scheduled for June 27 has also been cancelled.
Several other trains have been partially cancelled due to the disrupted line. These include the Deoghar–Agartala Express (Train No. 15625), which will now terminate at Lumding; the Sealdah–Sabroom Kanchanjunga Express (Train No. 13173) and the Silchar–Coimbatore Express (Train No. 12516), both altered in origin or termination points; and the Agartala–Kolkata Garib Rath Express (Train No. 12502), which will now run from Guwahati. Modifications are being made to ensure safety and operational flexibility until the route is fully restored.
The railway administration has urged passengers to stay informed through official communication channels, including websites, helplines, and social media. It expressed regret for the inconvenience caused and reaffirmed that restoration work is being carried out with the utmost urgency and focus on safety.
