Railway Bridge Collapse in Assam's Dhemaji Disrupts Train Services After Heavy Rain

Assam: Railway bridge over Simen river in Dhemaji partially collapses following heavy rain

Dhemaji, June 28

The collapse occured due to heavy rainfall and the erosion of the riverbank.

According to an official statement by the Northeast Frontier Railway CPRO, on account of excessive rainfall of more than 110 mm in and around Dhemaji district of Assam and subsequent flooding and bank erosions affecting the railway bridge, the section between Archipathar and Simen Chapari stations has been suspended for train operation.

The bridge, which was constructed in 1965 and later converted to broad gauge, was in good and safe condition, but due to the washing away of a large portion of the riverbank during the heavy rains, one of its piers became unstable.

According to the official statement, there is no damage to any train or any injury to any person. It was a low-traffic branch line, and all traffic was already stopped beforehand due to the heavy flooding of the river.

Movement of trains on the route between Murkongselek and Silapathar under the Tinsukia division will remain suspended until further notice.

As of now, trains on the route will be short-terminated and short originated from Silapathar. Arrangement of buses are also being made for transporting willing passengers from Murkongselek to Silapathar.

Help desks have already been opened at Dhemaji, Silapathar and Murkongselek stations for providing all necessary assistance to passengers.

The situation is being monitored closely by NF Railway authorities in collaboration with district and state government authorities.

Earlier, a 300-meter-long iron bridge connecting Kemi and Oyan was also washed away by raging floodwaters in the Kemi River, completely severing connectivity between the Kemi-Purana Jelom area and Jonai Sadar.

Speaking to ANI, a local resident stated that the water flow began intensifying around 11:00 AM.

"Today, the floodwaters swept away the iron bridge in our village. Heavy water flow has been coming down from Arunachal Pradesh since 11:00 AM. We hadn't expected the bridge to be washed away, but the water level rose suddenly around 11:30 AM, and the Kemi River is now overflowing," the resident said.

The local shared that people were frustrated over the construction of the bridge, which was built only a year ago. He claimed that their warnings regarding the river's swift current were ignored by the authorities.

"It had been built around a year ago. At the time of construction, we had requested that they not build an iron bridge because the Kemi River flows with a very strong, swift current. We had demanded a permanent, concrete bridge instead, but I don't know what their intentions were. They installed a basic iron bridge," the local added.

The collapse has raised serious concerns regarding education in the area, as the only school serves students from Kemi who must cross the river to attend classes.

"This is causing significant problems; there is only one school in our area, and all the students from Kemi come here to study. To reach the school, they have to cross this river somehow. I've also heard that their exams are coming up soon, so the students are going to face great difficulty, as the water level will likely remain high for at least a day or two. Furthermore, it is currently the farming season, and farmers who rely on crossing the river to reach their fields will face serious challenges," the resident further explained.

— ANI