Train services to North East India are unlikely to be restored before August 28, the North East Frontier Railway said on Saturday. At least 17 trains between Kishanganj in Bihar and Panjipara in West Bengal, run by the North East Frontier Railway, were cancelled because of heavy rain on Sunday.
“As per engineering estimates, full connectivity cannot be restored before August 28,” said NFR Chief Public Relations Officer PJ Sharma. “If the situation does not deteriorate further, connectivity will be restored by August 28.”
Sharma noted that a number of train services in its network were still not functional, including in Bihar’s Kishanganj, Katihar and Araria districts. “NF Railway has borne the brunt of the flood fury,” he said. “However, restoration work is on on war footing in all locations.”
With services hit, Sharma announced that the Northeast Frontier Railway had undertaken a number of measures for passengers travelling to and from the North East region as well as for the movement of goods. These include the following:
- A direct train between Dalkhola in West Bengal and Dibrugarh in Assam
- Special daily trains along the Dalkhola-Guwahati route and the Guwahati-Dibrugarh route
- A daily train from to Malda, West Bengal, and Bihar’s Katihar from Raiganj in West Bengal
- A bus service between Dalkhola and Raiganj
- Arrangements to load goods/essential commodities into trains at the Kishanganj Station
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!