GUWAHATI:
The Centre announced Rs 180 crore for the restoration of rail lines in the Lumding-Badarpur Hill Section that was snapped by flash floods and landslides in Assam’s Dima Hasao district, on May 22.
The decision was taken following a meeting between the Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishaw and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in New Delhi on Sunday. The Union Minister also assured that the restoration work will be completed by July 10.
“Glad to meet Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi. Happy to share that @RailMinIndia has sanctioned ₹180 cr for restoration of the railway network that was devastated by floods & landslides in Dima Hasao and assured to complete the work by July 10 (sic),” Sarma said in a tweet.
“Repair of the damaged portions of the vital rail link will not only restore connectivity between Barak and Brahmaputra valleys of Assam but also reconnect Tripura, Mizoram & parts of Manipur with rest of the country (sic),” he tweeted.
Since May 10, torrential rains causing severe damage to rail connectivity in different parts of the hill district.
The continuous rainfall in the area has caused landslides at many new locations, with the New Haflong Station completely inundated with debris. An empty passenger train standing at the station was washed off the tracks due to a massive landslide, and the number of breach locations have increased to 53 from 26 locations.