Silchar-Guwahati Express loco derails near Badarpur, trains resume

Train services on the Lumding-Badarpur hill section in southern Assam resumed on Thursday afternoon, October 29, hours after the locomotive of the Silchar-Guwahati Express derailed between Badarpur and Sukritipur stations.

According to a statement from Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), the front trolley of the engine hauling Train No. 15616 came off the track on Thursday morning at kilometre 166/7, in the Lumding division. All passengers were safe, and no injuries were reported.

How services were affected

The derailment blocked one of the most important rail links between the Barak Valley and the rest of Assam, which also carries trains to Tripura and Mizoram. Several trains were held at stations along the route while the line was cleared:

• Guwahati-Silchar Express (15615) at Bihara
• Sealdah-Silchar Express (13175) at New Haflong
• Sairang-Kolkata Express (13126) at Badarpur
• Agartala-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express (15660) at New Karimganj
• Agartala-Sealdah Express (13174) at Dharmanagar
• Kolkata-Sairang Express (13125) at Langting

The Silchar-Guwahati Express was short-terminated at Badarpur and cancelled for the rest of its run to Guwahati. Thursday's Guwahati-Silchar Express (15615) was also cancelled, NFR said. The passenger coaches were moved back to Badarpur.

Line restored by afternoon

Railway teams worked under senior officials to clear the section and repair the track. The Sairang-Kolkata Express was the first train to move through after restoration. It left Badarpur at 2.50 pm and cleared the affected stretch at 3.04 pm, according to reports.

Silchar station superintendent Bikram Nath told The Assam Tribune that the track had been certified fit and that regular movement had resumed, though he warned that some timings could still shift. He said the cause of the derailment was not yet known and would be determined by railway staff at the site.

Check before you travel

Passengers booked on trains through the hill section over the next day should check the latest running status on the National Train Enquiry System or NFR's official channels before setting out, as late-running trains may take time to return to schedule.