As landslides triggered by uninterrupted rain in Assam have put a pause on rail transport, Tripura and Mizoram have approached the External Affairs Ministry for permission to bring essential supplies via Bangladesh.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has cancelled all goods and passenger trains till June. The Lumding-Badarpur single-line railway route via Dima Hasao mountainous district connects Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, and the southern part of Assam with the rest of India. The track was damaged due to landslides on May 14.
The Indian Air Force helicopters are carrying essentials and fuels from the Guwahati Dima Hasao district.
NFR's Chief Public Relations Officer, Sabyasachi De, said all trains were cancelled till railway lines are restored. Tripura currently has stocks of fuels and essential supplies but they will not last till the railway service restart.
The Tripura government has approached the MEA to discuss the matter with the Bangladesh government to bring essentials and transport fuels including petrol to the state, said Food and Civil Supplies Department Director Tapan Kumar Das. He added that the essentials can be transported using a ferry via Dawki (in West Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya) -- Bangladesh-Kailashahar (northern Tripura) route.
"Efforts are on to transport essentials, transport fuels, and other basic items by road via Assam and Meghalaya. We are in touch with the Assam and Meghalaya government," said the state official.
Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Minister of Mizoram K. Lalrinliana said Aizawl is also considering the possibility of bringing in essential commodities via Bangladesh.
NFR officials and railway engineers are working on war footing round-the-clock to restore the vital railway lines to reinstate the rail link with Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, and southern Assam. "Out of 56 affected locations and some less affected locations, restoration work has been completed but the work in major affected areas is yet to start due to the inclement weather".