Assam’s Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare, Nandita Garlosa, on Thursday undertook a critical inspection of the landslide-battered Jatinga-Lampur stretch, affecting both the Lumding-Badarpur hill section of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) and National Highway-27 between Haflong and Silchar. The visit underscored the state government’s concerted efforts to re-establish vital lifelines in the Dima Hasao region, severely impacted by relentless rains and subsequent landslides.
During her visit, Minister Garlosa acknowledged the formidable challenges faced by NFR in restoring the damaged railway tracks. She noted that while NFR is working on a war footing, persistent overnight rainfall continues to trigger fresh mudslides, thereby slowing down the crucial restoration work. Despite these setbacks, railway authorities are operating round the clock and have expressed optimism that train movement on the Lumding-Badarpur hill line could recommence as early as this Sunday, a timeline that offers a ray of hope for stranded commuters and disrupted supply chains.
Further addressing the transportation woes, the minister also provided an update on the landslide-hit section of NH-27. She informed that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is actively considering the construction of an alternative route to circumvent the problematic stretch. A team of experts from IIT Guwahati has already carried out a detailed survey of the area and submitted recommendations for a new alignment for the proposed road. Minister Garlosa confirmed that the construction of this alternative route would proceed strictly based on the technical guidance provided by the IIT team, highlighting a scientific approach to long-term infrastructure resilience in the vulnerable region.
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