Flooding at Assam's Simaluguri disrupts train services; NFR diverts, cancels multiple trains

Severe flooding triggered by the overflowing Dikhow River has disrupted railway operations in and around Simaluguri in Assam's Sivasagar district, prompting the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to suspend train movement on key sections and regulate several services.

According to an official statement issued by NFR on July 20, continuous heavy rainfall in the upstream catchment areas caused widespread flooding in the Simaluguri region. The floodwaters inundated the Simaluguri railway station yard, railway tracks, railway colony and adjoining areas, while also overtopping the railway track in the Simaluguri section.

In the interest of passenger safety and operational requirements, train services between the Simaluguri–Namti Ali and Simaluguri–Selenghat sections have been suspended until further notice.

As a result, several long-distance trains originating from or bound for Dibrugarh and Tinsukia have been diverted via the Rangiya–Ranapara North–North Lakhimpur–Dibrugarh route. Several passenger and express trains have also been cancelled, while some services have been short-terminated or short-originated.

Among the trains diverted are the Dibrugarh–Chandigarh Express (15903), Dibrugarh–Kanyakumari Vivek Express (22504) and Dibrugarh–Lalgarh Avadh Assam Express (15909). Other major trains, including the Howrah–Dibrugarh Kamrup Express (15959), Gomti Nagar–Dibrugarh Amrit Bharat Express (15950) and New Delhi–Dibrugarh Rajdhani Express (12424), have also been rerouted.

Several services have been partially curtailed. The Dibrugarh–Guwahati Nagaland Express (15670/15669) will operate from Dimapur or Mariani on selected days instead of Dibrugarh, while the Amritsar–New Tinsukia Express (15934) and Dibrugarh–New Delhi Rajdhani Express (12423 and 20505) have also been short-terminated or short-originated.

NFR has additionally cancelled a number of passenger and express services due to the flooding. These include the Tinsukia–Lumding DEMU (75602), Ledo–Guwahati Intercity Express (15603/15604), Rangiya–New Tinsukia Intercity Express (15927/15928), Dibrugarh–Howrah Kamrup Express (15960), Guwahati–Dibrugarh Nagaland Express (15669), Tinsukia–Jorhat Town Passenger (55914/55913), Lumding–Tinsukia DEMU (75601), Simaluguri–Dibrugarh Passenger (55909/55910) and the New Tinsukia–Amritsar Express (15933) on specified dates.

The railway authorities said the temporary regulations have been imposed to ensure passenger safety amid the flood situation and advised travellers to check the latest train status before commencing their journey.