Guwahati: Trial run of train over the diverted portion along the landslides affected Lumding-Silchar section in South Assam was resumed on Thursday after a gap of about two months.
A goods train was run on the section on Thursday afternoon. The train left Maigrendisa station in the afternoon, according to the CPRO of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) here. The goods train passed through the newly diverted portion in the Lumding – Badarpur hill section.
It may be mentioned here that train movement over that section had to be suspended due to lateral movement and uplift of railway track due to landslide near Maigrendisa station after very heavy rainfall in that area on May 16 and 17, 2016.
Repeated attempts to start train movement through that portion failed due to continued uplift and lateral movement of track in that area.
After due deliberation and consultation with geo-technical experts, it was decided to construct a 300 metre long diverted portion by-passing the areas which were showing lateral movements.
The work for construction of the diverted portion was begun on June 17 last and completed on July 6. After that ballast cushion was laid and track linking was done. During the period about 4.0 lakh cubic meter volume of earth was cut down and one culvert was constructed.
About 500 men worked round-the-clock with 17 heavy earth cutting machines, 30 dumpers, two JCBs, one rock breaker despite frequent rainfall.
Geo-synthetic materials have been used in consultation with geo-technical experts to cover the locations indicating presence of argillaceous soil.
The section will be kept under close observation. Passenger train will start running over that section in due course after stabilization of the section. Because of suspension of train services in that section, south Assam areas, states of Tripura, Manipur and Mizoram have remained cut off since middle of May.
