HAFLONG, June 15 - Uncertainty looms large over the resumption of rail communication between Lumding and Silchar as the authority has been trying to restore the tracks near Migrengdisa Railway Station since May 17.
It is learnt that due to heavy rain, a portion of the railway track at 92/3-5 near Migrengdisa was damaged resulting in disruption of rail communication between Lumding and Silchar causing immense inconvenience to the people of entire Barak Valley and Dima Hasao.
People of Dima Hasao in general and the student community in particular, are the worst sufferers due to the disruption of train communication since the road communications to Silchar and Guwahati are also not reliable.
Moreover, the students seeking admission to various institutions in places like Guwahati and Silchar are suffering a lot due to non-availability of communications.
Talking to this correspondent, RP Jingar, Chief Engineer, NF Railway, who is very much familiar with this hill section, said that the behaviour of the land here at this portion is quite different to other places. The hillocks on either side of the tracks is on an approximately 8 metre layer of black soil. This black soil can absorb water, but cannot discharge it due to which it becomes soft and muddy resulting in landslide with heavy pressure. This is what is happening in this section.
�Now we are reducing the weight of soil above the black soil layer by cutting the 150 metre by 60 metre hillock so that there would be no more pressure on the foundation of track. He assured that within five to six days, they would be able to restore this portion provided there is no rain. The citizens of Haflong have appealed to the Railway authority to resume the train communication in between New Haflong and Silchar.
