Surface link with Tripura snapped

Surface link between Tripura and the rest of the country snapped on Thursday following massive landslides trigerred by heavy rains on NH 6, the key highway linking the state, at Lumshong area of Meghalaya, a government official said.

Surface link between Tripura and the rest of the country snapped on Thursday following massive landslides trigerred by heavy rains on NH 6, the key highway linking the state, at Lumshong area of Meghalaya, a government official said. The train service in Tripura has been disrupted for the past one month due to heavy rains.

NH 6 connects Tripura through the Karimganj-Sabroom NH 8.

“Due to massive landslides at Lumshong in East Jaintia Hills, the road connectivity of the state has been snapped. It means Tripura is cut off from the rest of the country via rail and road,” state principal secretary L H Darlong said.

Restoration work at Lumshong is yet to begin due to the incessant heavy rain and it is uncertain when vehicular traffic on the highway will resume, he said.

Darlong said Chief Minister Manik Saha has urged Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia for additional flights to and from Tripura. Besides, the state has sought Director General of Civil Aviation's help in fixing the air fair in the three important routes of Agartala-Kolkata, Agartala-Delhi and Agartala-Guwahati.

Shyamali Travel of Bangladesh which operates the Agratala-Kolkata via Dhaka bus service, has also been requested to increase its frequency.

“We have already requested Shyamali travel for at least two buses from both ends daily since Dhaka has already approved the service”, he said.

The state government is considering to provide financial help to students and patients who require flight facility.

Secretary in the food and civil supplies department Saradhindu Chowdhury claimed that as of now there is no shortage of essential food items or fuel. But it would be a matter of concern if the national highway is not cleared within the next few days.

“We have already requested Indian Oil Corporation and Food Corporation of India to bring fuel and essential items through Bangladesh in case of any emergency,” he said.

As of now the state has rice stock for 37 days, pulses for 39 days, LPG for 27 days, petrol for nine days and diesel for five days, he added.