Heavy rains triggered landslide, cut-off railway connectivity of Mizoram, Tripura through Assam

Tripura and Mizoram, as well as parts of the Barak Valley, have become cut off from the rest of the country due to the aftereffects of Cyclone Asani in Assam's Dima Hasao district.

Landslides are said to have occurred in several areas along the hill line of the Lumding-Badarpur railway tracks. The earth beneath the railway line has shifted. Hundreds of trucks are stranded on the national highway in Meghalaya's Sonapur area. Dima Hasao in Assam is the worst affected district. Several landslides have occurred along the Guwahati-Silchar National Highway. The road was littered with large rocks, and trees were uprooted. Rain is expected to fall for two to three days, according to the meteorological department.

Meanwhile, an area of about 150 metres in the large Haflong area is in a terrible state. Furthermore, the landslide that hit the road also directly hit the passenger compartment of the train at New Haflong, capsizing several compartments.

In addition, water and sandstones falling from the hill covered a portion of the station grounds. There is considerable doubt that the railways will reopen within the next two months.

Small passenger vehicles passed through the Meghalaya section of the Assam-Agartala National Highway for a short time before another landslide occurred, forcing the road to close once more.

Many passengers are  stranded on the road in Tripura, and some are still waiting in Guwahati. The stranded passengers are being fed by the Assam Rifles and the NF Railway.

On the other hand, the cost of airline tickets has risen, and many people can no longer afford them. Needless to say, the cost of daily necessities will rise as lorries carrying goods become stuck on the road. If the government does not monitor, the market may be taken over by black marketeers. Tripura could be hit by an oil crisis in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the NFR stated in a report that the massive landslide in more than 50 locations across the Lumding – Badarpur hill section has completely disrupted rail communication between hilly states such as Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram, and South Assam and the rest of the country since last Saturday. Nearly 2400 stranded railway passengers were rescued under difficult circumstances from New Haflong and Ditokcherra, defying all odds.

However, N.F. Railway, on the other hand, is speeding up the restoration work by gathering materials from various sources, including far-flung areas. The restoration work is expected to pick up speed once the weather improves. Restoration work has already been completed in nearly 12 locations.