Agartala: The Tripura government is convening an urgent high-level meeting today to take stock of essential commodities and fuel reserves, as train services to the state remain severely disrupted. A critical railway track in neighbouring Assam suffered extensive damage on Monday evening, severing a vital lifeline for the supply of goods to the northeastern state.
The disruption stems from a landslide between New Haflong and Jatinga Lampur, where ongoing road repair work by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) inadvertently triggered a cascade of boulders and landmass onto the tracks. The incident has left Tripura grappling with potential shortages, prompting the immediate government response.
A senior Tripura government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that state authorities have been in constant communication with the North East Frontier Railway (NFR) since the incident. “We received the information and spoke to the Area Manager of Badarpur NFR last night. They are working on a war footing to clear the route,” the official stated, highlighting the urgency of the situation. He further elaborated that today’s high-level review meeting aims to thoroughly assess the current inventory of essential supplies, with a particular focus on fuel, to mitigate any potential crisis.
The NFR, acknowledging the severity of the damage and the continuous falling of debris near Jatinga Lampur railway station throughout the night, has been forced to cancel several key train services. The Agartala-Bengaluru Express stands cancelled, as does the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjungha Express, which will not operate between Sabroom and Lumding. This follows the cancellation of three Agartala-originating trains on Monday due to the same issue, underscoring the significant impact on rail connectivity to and from Tripura.
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