Guwahati: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) on Thursday announced the restoration of flood-damaged tracks at Simaluguri and adjoining areas in Sivasagar district, paving the way for the partial resumption of passenger services.However, only diesel locomotive-hauled trains will operate on the restored sections for now, as flood-affected residents, including children, continue to shelter with their belongings and livestock on or near the tracks.The decision was taken after NFR general manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava inspected the affected tracks, bridges and other infrastructure.Local services, including the Guwahati-Dibrugarh Nagaland Express, Guwahati-Ledo-Guwahati Intercity Express, Rangiya-Ledo-Rangiya Intercity Express, Lumding-Tinsukia-Lumding DEMU and Tinsukia-Jorhat Town passenger train, will operate via Moranhat.Services on the Simaluguri route were suspended on July 19 after the Dikhow river overflowed onto the tracks and inundated Simaluguri town, including the station yard and railway colony.Train movement on the Simaluguri-Namtiali and Simaluguri-Selenghat sections was halted. Long-distance trains originating from Dibrugarh and Tinsukia were diverted via Rangiya and Rangapara, while several local services were cancelled or short-terminated.The washout had severed a key rail link to upper Assam on the Brahmaputra’s south bank, disrupting passenger and freight operations.
