Tripura monitoring essential supplies amid rail disruption, fuel available till Friday

With train services disrupted in the Lumding–Badarpur Hill section of Assam due to a massive landslide, the Tripura government is closely monitoring the availability of essential commodities, including fuel, which is expected to last until Friday.

Tripura Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Sushanta Chowdhury today said the state has sufficient food stock and is in constant touch with the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to assess the situation.

“We are keeping a close watch on the availability of essential commodities. The fuel stock is adequate till Friday. We’ve spoken to NFR officials, and restoration work is being carried out on a war footing. We are hopeful that services will resume soon,” Chowdhury said.

Meanwhile, NFR has cancelled nine express trains from Agartala as efforts to restore the disrupted Lumding–Badarpur rail route continue.

According to NFR, around 100 meters of railway track were severely damaged due to a landslide caused by continuous heavy rainfall and the collapse of a nearby slope located just 15 meters from the tracks.

“A high-level meeting was held on June 24, 2025, attended by the Chief Secretary of Assam, NFR’s General Manager, senior officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and other stakeholders. A coordinated restoration plan was finalized, and joint operations are now underway,” said an NFR official.

To expedite the work, over 25 heavy machines, including excavators, JCBs, and dumpers, have been deployed along with around 200 labourers. Senior officials, including the Divisional Railway Manager of Lumding, are at the site overseeing 24x7 operations.