Assam floods: Work underway to restore damaged railway network

Indian Railways have started its restoration works to re-build the railway infrastructure damaged in the flood and landslide-hit Dima Hasao district of Assam.

Indian Railways have started its restoration works to re-build the railway infrastructure damaged in the flood and landslide-hit Dima Hasao district of Assam. According to the Northeast Frontier Railway (NF Railway), the flood and landslides caused due to the incessant rains had damaged the railway network at 60 locations in Dima Hasao, under the 170-km long Lumding-Badarpur section.Sabyasachi De, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of NF Railway told ANI that out of the locations destroyed by the floods, 10-11 are some critical areas, where the railways have started restoration. "Recent floods and landslides in Dima Hasao district have affected the train services in the area. The Lumding-Badarpur is a 170-km long section and landslides and floods have damaged the railway network at 60 locations in this section," said De.

"Out of these 60 locations, we have already restored 11 sites and works are undergoing for the remaining areas. And out of the remaining 49 locations as well, 10-11 such locations are some critical areas where restoration is going on in full swing," he added. The CPRO of NF Railway further informed that the NF Railway has cancelled 26 pairs of trains and partially cancelled around 28 pairs of trains and the cancellation will continue till June 30. "We have started the restoration works and it will be costing around Rs 180 crore. We are targeting to complete the restoration soon," he said. Recently, the Railway Ministry has sanctioned Rs 180 crore for the task of restoration of the network that was devastated by floods and landslides in the hill district.

Earlier, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma met with Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi on May 22 and assured to complete the restoration railway network in the Dima Hasao district by July 10. (ANI)