Guwahati, June 29: The Lumding–Silchar stretch of National Highway 27, a critical supply route for the Northeast, has collapsed under the weight of relentless landslides and poor planning, leaving over 3,000 trucks stranded and the region teetering on the edge of a logistics meltdown.
Triggered by ongoing expansion work under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), a massive landslide has brought traffic to a total standstill between Lumding and Harangajao. What began as an infrastructure project has now spiraled into a full-blown crisis, cutting off essential goods and fuel supplies to several northeastern states, including Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, and parts of southern Assam.
Thousands of truck drivers, trapped on a crumbling road, have been left to fend for themselves in punishing heat with no access to clean water, food, or medical assistance. Many have been stuck for over 48 hours, and frustration is mounting with no coordinated relief or official communication in sight.
“This isn’t a jam, it’s a breakdown of the system,” said one driver, speaking after three days of waiting with no clear update. “We’re being ignored.” Rail connectivity has also failed. Landslides along the Lumding–Badarpur rail line have blocked major train routes, further severing the region’s fragile links with the rest of the country.
Despite growing desperation, local and central authorities have yet to announce a concrete plan or timeline for restoring connectivity. While officials admit the scale of the disruption, there is no visible effort to mobilize emergency relief or clear blocked routes.
With monsoon rains continuing and the terrain remaining unstable, fears of additional landslides are rising. The stranded trucks carry everything from perishable food and medicine to industrial fuel—making this more than a transport crisis; it’s a ticking time bomb for Northeast’s supply chains.
For now, NH-27 stands broken—and with it, the region’s connection to the rest of the country. As the silence from authorities grows louder, so does the despair of thousands stuck between collapsing hills and a government response still stuck in neutral.
