Railway working 24×7 for restoration of damaged track in Lumding Badarpur Section

Guwahati, July 18 (HS): On 12th of July the extensive damage caused by landslide to railway track at km 110 near Jatinga Lumpur of Lumding Badarpur section resulted in the disruption of railway traffic in this crucial section.

Immediately after the damage was reported railway arranged for mobilization of material manpower and machinery at site without losing any time. Senior officials of Lumding Division and Headquarter including the Chief Bridge Engineer and Divisional Railway Manager reached the site for monitoring the restoration of work and 24×7 control rooms were set up both at Maligaon and at Lumding for ensuring close monitoring and speedy mobilization of resources. The extent of damage was so huge that almost 100 running meter of track was damaged caused by the failure of the slope of the railway embankment. Although it was raining continuously as many as 500 labourers in two shifts of 12 hrs each worked continuously during the day time and almost 200 labourers worked during the night without stop. A total of 8 Earthmoving machines and Dumpers were also mobilized at site which worked continuously throughout the day and nights.

It is to be mentioned that for the stabilization of the slope a volume of 4750 Cum of boulder has been mobilized by means of special material trains which carried boulder from different locations at Lumding Division to the damaged spot. Since these boulders were readily available for loading as part of pre monsoon preparation of railway, no time was lost for the collection and dispatch of these boulders to site. For the stabilization of the sub-base of the track a volume of 100 Cum of unscreened shingle was also mobilized at the site along with 2050 running meter of rail pile for the stabilization of the bank and the toe. To ensure adequate strengthening of the base of the railway track, non permeable, Geo-Textile has been laid on the entire damage length. The track which was damaged has been now fully linked and ballasting is being done to bring it to the requisite standard for the safe passage of trains.

It is also to be mentioned that in view of the suspension of train movement since 12.07.19 to the Barak valley and the other states of the North East connected through this region, traffic department of NFR has ensured diversion and timely unloading of as many as 4 rakes of food grain at different locations like New Guwahati, Dimapur, Jirania and Haibargaon so as to ensure that there is no shortage of food grain in Badarpur area. Railway has also requested FCI to make necessary arrangement for carriage of these food grains by road to the Barak valley and other states.