GUWAHATI, April 20 - Movement of passenger trains in the Lumding-Silchar section was temporarily suspended since last evening for checking of safety of assets on the wake of heavy rainfall in the area.
As a result, 55615/55616 Silchar-Guwahati-Silchar passenger and 25658 Silchar-Sealdah Kanchanjungha Express were rescheduled, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) said in an official statement.
To assess the situation, a team of engineers led by the Principal Chief Engineer of the NFR left for site by a special train from Guwahati yesterday.
The team, which included officers from NFR Headquarters and Lumding Division carried out detailed inspection of the track, bridges, tunnels and the formation between KM 87 to KM 122 of New Haflong-Ditockcherra section last night and this morning.
�After having satisfied themselves of the safety of the section for movement of passenger traffic, normal running of trains has been restored in the section with effect from 1 pm today,� said the statement.
The NFR said that owing to its geological formation and geographical conditions, the Lumding-Silchar section has been traditionally very vulnerable to landslide and other distress during the rainy season.
�Even during the metre gauge days, rail traffic used to get disrupted during rainy season. After gauge conversion, however, ample measures have been taken by use of better technology to ensure smooth movement of traffic. Sectional speed has been enhanced from 50 km per hour to 70 km per hour in certain sections and from 70 km per hour to 90 km per hour in certain sections,� the statement said.
�Watchmen have been posted at vulnerable locations for continuous monitoring of track condition. It is the result of constant technical inputs that passenger traffic has been resumed even when Barak Valley remains cut off by road from the rest of the country,� it said.
Requesting the public not to panic, the railway authorities in the statement said that systems are in place in order to ensure safe movement of trains in the railway section.
