Tripura and surrounding northeastern states were plunged into travel chaos from June 24 as a massive landslide disrupted train services on the vital Lumding–Badarpur railway corridor. Triggered by road construction work under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the incident has led to the cancellation, diversion and short termination of several key passenger trains across the region.
The landslide, which occurred between New Haflong and Jatinga Lampur in Assam, was caused by a slope failure due to ongoing road repair efforts. According to Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), heavy debris, including large boulders and soil mass, crashed onto the railway line, rendering the route critically unsafe for train movement. Compounding the danger, runoff water from the roadside is now flowing directly onto the tracks, posing further threats to track stability. In a decisive safety response, NFR suspended all train operations along the affected section, impacting key routes that connect Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and the Barak Valley with the rest of the country. “The situation is extremely hazardous. Train operations cannot resume until complete restoration and slope protection are ensured,” officials said.
Authorities have formally requested NHAI to deploy immediate manpower and equipment to carry out slope protection work. Meanwhile, emergency railway teams are working to clear debris and assess track damage, though officials warn that full restoration could take time. The fallout from the disruption is already widespread. Several long-distance trains have been either cancelled or short-terminated to avoid entering the unstable zone. These include prominent services such as the Guwahati–Silchar Express, Rangiya–Silchar Express, Dullabcherra–Guwahati Express and even national routes like the Tejas Express and Garib Rath Express to Agartala. Trains terminating early have stranded passengers in transit, forcing many to seek alternative transport at short notice.
The crisis underscores the fragile interplay between rail and road infrastructure in India’s hilly terrain, where lack of coordination during civil construction can lead to disastrous consequences. Officials confirm that NFR had not been consulted or given forewarning before the NHAI undertook slope excavation and realignment above the railway track—a common point of conflict in infrastructure-heavy states like Assam. Railways are the lifeline of the northeast, and the Lumding–Badarpur route is a strategic artery that connects remote states to the economic hubs of mainland India. Its disruption has not only derailed passenger movement but also affected freight logistics, including essential goods supply to states like Tripura and Mizoram, which rely heavily on rail cargo for everything from food grains to industrial supplies.
With monsoon activity expected to intensify in the region over the next few weeks, officials remain wary of further complications. A single fresh downpour could trigger secondary landslides in the weakened slopes around the affected zone, hampering restoration and risking worker safety. Meanwhile, the Indian Railways is issuing real-time travel advisories and urging passengers to verify train statuses before setting out. In the case of Silchar–New Delhi’s Poorvottar Sampark Kranti Express, departure was rescheduled from June 23 to 6:00 AM on June 24 due to route delays. This episode has reignited the demand for better disaster-resilient infrastructure across India’s northeast.
Environmental engineers have often flagged the vulnerability of rail alignments in the region, which are prone to landslides, flooding, and erosion—especially when compromised by nearby human interventions like unregulated road construction or illegal mining. Transportation experts suggest that the episode should prompt both Indian Railways and NHAI to develop integrated infrastructure planning protocols. Without joint coordination and real-time impact assessments, such incidents are likely to grow in frequency, particularly as infrastructure projects accelerate under national growth schemes. From the human perspective, the disruption has hit hardest those travelling for medical care, employment, or returning home after school breaks. For many daily wage workers and migrant families, the added travel costs and delays come as a significant burden. In a region already struggling with geographic isolation, each transport failure pushes citizens further to the margins.
At present, the restoration timeline remains uncertain. As repair crews brave unstable terrain and intermittent rainfall, the region holds its breath, hoping for a swift, safe and sustainable solution. For the northeastern states, this is more than just a transport crisis—it is a reminder of how vital, yet vulnerable, their connections to the rest of India remain.
