Heavy rainfall has caused massive soil subsidence beneath railway tracks near New Farakka, West Bengal, leading to the cancellation of several major trains and disrupting North-South connectivity.
- A 20-meter stretch of railway track near New Farakka has suffered significant soil subsidence.
- Eastern Railway has cancelled over 14 major trains, including Vande Bharat and Shatabdi services.
- Restoration work is underway with 150+ workers, aiming for normalcy by Saturday.
Rail connectivity between South and North Bengal has been severely crippled following heavy rainfall that triggered major soil subsidence near New Farakka station. The incident, which occurred around 2:30 AM on Wednesday, involved the ground sinking several feet beneath a 20-meter stretch of the tracks, posing a massive risk to train operations.
Emergency Restoration Efforts
Eastern Railway has deployed a massive workforce of approximately 150 workers, alongside senior engineers, to carry out restoration work on a war footing. To facilitate the repairs, stone chips and ballast are being transported from Jharkhand via freight trains. However, the process faced a setback on Thursday night when a secondary landslip occurred near an adjacent pond, causing an overhead electric pole to tilt precariously.
Why This Matters
BozokMedia analysis shows that such infrastructure failures during monsoon seasons highlight the urgent need for enhanced geological monitoring along critical rail corridors. The disruption has not only stranded thousands of passengers but has also led to a surge in private transport fares, exploiting the transit crisis.
Eastern Railway CPRO Shivram Majhi stated that operations on the Up line will only resume once the stretch is certified entirely safe and landslide-free.
Gitika Pandey, General Manager of Eastern Railway, is personally monitoring the situation. The railway administration has emphasized that while some services on the Down line resumed by Thursday, the majority of services remain suspended to ensure passenger safety.
Train Status Overview
| Status | Train Details / Route |
|---|---|
| Restored | 27575 Howrah–Kamakhya Vande Bharat Sleeper, 15961 Howrah–Dibrugarh Kamrup Express |
| Cancelled | Saraighat Express, Kanchankanya Express, Darjeeling Mail, Padatik Express, Shatabdi Express (NJP) |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which major trains are cancelled?
Major cancellations include the Saraighat Express, Kanchankanya Express, and the Howrah-NJP Shatabdi Express.
2. When will normal services resume?
Railway officials expect repairs to be completed by Friday evening, with full normalcy expected by Saturday.
