Rail services on Assam’s Lumding-Badarpur hill section resumed on Thursday afternoon, nearly seven hours after a locomotive derailment disrupted train movement between Badarpur and Sukritipur stations. The restoration reopened a key rail connection serving the Barak Valley and parts of the Northeast, with the first train crossing the affected stretch shortly after clearance work was completed.
The front trolley of the locomotive hauling the 15616 Silchar-Guwahati Express derailed at about 8.50 am at kilometre 166/7 on a bridge between Badarpur and Sukritipur stations under the Lumding division of Northeast Frontier Railway, according to railway officials. No injuries or casualties were reported, and all passengers were safe.
Railway authorities began restoration work immediately under the supervision of senior officials. Train movement along the hill section was halted while the affected track and bridge area were cleared. The disruption lasted for nearly seven hours and affected rail connectivity from the Barak Valley towards other parts of the Northeast.
The 13126 Sairang-Kolkata Express became the first train to cross the restored section. It departed Badarpur station at 2.50 pm and passed the derailment site at 3.04 pm, Northeast Frontier Railway chief public relations officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said.
Sharma said train movement was being progressively restored and services were returning to normal after the affected stretch was cleared. The railway administration has not reported any injuries or casualties in connection with the derailment.
The Lumding-Badarpur hill section is an important rail route for southern Assam, Mizoram, Tripura and parts of Manipur. It provides passenger and freight connectivity between these areas and the wider national rail network. As a result, interruptions on the route can affect both daily travel and the movement of goods across the region.
The restoration allowed trains to resume passage through the affected section on the same day. Railway officials said services were being progressively normalised after the track was cleared for operations.
