Assam: Northeast Frontier Railway cancels several trains in Sivasagar district following track damage due to flash floods
Guwahati, July 20
The Northeast Frontier Railway has cancelled several trains and diverted or short-terminated a few others following track damage due to flash floods in the Shimaluguri area in Sivasagar district on Monday.
According to Northeast Frontier Railway CPRO Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, the decision was taken to ensure the safety of trains and passengers in the area.
The Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) further mentioned that train movement in the Simaluguri-Namtiali and Simaluguri-Selenghat sections has been suspended until further notice in the region, while Long-distance trains from Dibrugarh and Tinsukia have been diverted through the Rangiya-Rangapara route.
However, the CPRO added that necessary measures are currently being taken to restore train movement at the earliest in the area.
"A number of local trains have been cancelled and short terminated. Necessary measures are being taken to restore train movement at the earliest. Required men and materials have been dispatched to the affected locations. The situation is being continuously monitored at the highest level. At present, due to the high water level, it is not possible to determine the expected time of restoration. Only once the water level recedes, the exact damage to the tracks can be ascertained," said Sharma.
The Northeast Frontier Railway also mentioned that due to heavy rainfall in the upstream catchment, the Dikhow River has been actively overflowing, which resulted in the flooding of Simaluguri (SLGR) town in Assam's Shivsagar district. The flooding has inundated the station yard and the railway colony, with water also overtopping the railway track in the Simaluguri area.
The list of cancelled trains commencing their journeys on July 20 includes Tinsukia - Jorhat Town Passenger, Tinsukia - Lumding DEMU, Ledo - Guwahati Intercity Express, Ledo - Rangiya Intercity Express, Dibrugarh - Simaluguri Passenger, Jorhat Town - Tinsukia Passenger, Lumding - Tinsukia DEMU, Rangiya - New Tinsukia Intercity Express, and Simaluguri - Dibrugarh Passenger train.
Additionally, Guwahati - Ledo Intercity Express, which commenced its journey on July 19, 2026, has also been cancelled.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) further added that it is taking proactive measures to facilitate passengers currently onboard these affected trains. To assist stranded commuters, a special train has been planned from Sibsagar Town station to Dibrugarh and New Tinsukia. Furthermore, affected passengers are being successfully transported by road.
"In connection with the diversion of long-distance trains due to the flood situation at Simaluguri, NF Railway is taking proactive action to facilitate the passengers onboard these trains. Arrangements of food packets, drinking water and refund of tickets have been made. Help Desks have been set up at all stations. ASTC buses and local vehicles have been arranged at Namtiali for movement of passengers to Sibsagar Town station. From Sibsagar Town station, a special train has been planned for Dibrugarh and New Tinsukia," it said.
"217 passengers detraining from 22503 Vivek Express at Selenghat are being transported by road to Mariani. 570 passengers of 15959 Kamrup Express and 490 passengers of 15934 Amritsar Tinsukia Express detraining at Mariani are being facilitated," NF Railway said in its press release.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Oh no! My cousin was supposed to travel on the Ledo-Guwahati Intercity today. Thankfully they arranged road transport to Sibsagar Town. But honestly, the Northeast gets so much rain - why isn't the track infrastructure more resilient? We need better planning from Indian Railways, not just reactive measures when floods hit. 😔
Safety first! I appreciate the NFR cancelling trains rather than risking lives. Last year in Bihar, they didn't cancel and a train got stuck for hours. Yes, it's inconvenient, but better than a tragedy. Hope the water recedes soon and tracks are restored quickly. 🙏
The number of passengers affected is huge - 217 from Vivek Express, 570 from Kamrup Express, 490 from Amritsar Express! That's over a thousand people disrupted. Railway should have a contingency fund for such events. Providing food packets is good, but what about compensation for delays? Just asking.
Living in Assam, this is a yearly affair. Rail tracks in low-lying areas need elevation or embankments. But I understand the cost factor - Northeast terrain is tough. Still, appreciate NFR's quick response with help desks and special trains. Wishing everyone stranded a safe journey! 🚂
I've travelled on the Tinsukia-Jorhat Passenger route many times - it's a scenic journey through tea gardens. Sad that it's cancelled. But nature is unpredictable. The real issue is climate change causing more intense floods. Railways need long-term solutions like early warning systems for river overflow. Good on NFR for the proactive safety
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