GUWAHATI: The Railways have completed dispatching manpower, materials and equipment to rebuild railway infrastructure in the landslide-hit Dima Hasao district, which is a connecting route to South Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Mizoram.
Chief public relations officer of NF Railway, Sabyasachi De, said if the monsoon does not play spoilsport, rail connectivity through Dima Hasao is likely to be restored by July 10. Among the major tasks to be executed, he said repairing the damaged approaches of the two bridges in the 5-km long Ditokcherra-Bandarkhal section are being executed on a priority basis. The restoration of the 100-meter rail track, the earth beneath which was completely washed away in rain and landslide in the 10-km long Daotuhaja-Phading section, is another major challenge, De said.
“Men, materials and machinery have reached the damaged portions of the rail tracks in Dima Hasao. These have been sent from both sides of the connected rail track, from Lumding in the north and Badarpur in the south. The clearing of debris, construction and damage assessment have been launched simultaneously,” De told TOI on Tuesday.
IMD officials said at least for the next three days only low intensity rainfall is likely in Dima Hasao and south Assam and this can be a breather for the railways. However, June 5 is the normal date of the arrival of the monsoon in the northeast after which the region may experience heavy rainfall.
The Railways have refunded Rs 17.5 lakh to the passengers for the cancellation of trains through Dima Hasao. They have also suffered a major loss because of the cancellation of freight trains. The possible loss assessment is yet to be done.
Officials said executing work in a hilly terrain is a big challenge. On May 18, NF Railway said landslides were reported in around 58 locations in Dima Hasao and restoration work was completed in about 12 locations. However, as of Tuesday, the number of restored locations remained the same.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently met Union Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi. Sarma informed that the ministry of railways has sanctioned Rs 180 crore for the restoration of the railway network that was devastated in Dima Hasao.
