Agartala, July 09: Road and train services have been snapped in Tripura cutting the state off from the rest of the country following huge landslides at several places on the Assam-Agartala Highway and railway tracks on Lamding-Kumarghat line, official sources said today. The Northeast Frontier (NF) railway had faxed an urgent message yesterday to the state government informing that rail routes on Lamding-Kumarghat had been severely affected following huge landslides due to incessant rains at several parts of lower Assam, including Bandarkhal, Patharkandi and some other parts, the sources said.

Service on Karimganj-Badarpur and Lambding has already been suspended following damage of the railway tracks due to landslides and flood water in Assam, they added. Efforts are on to repair the damaged parts of the railway tracks and normal service would not be restored before four weeks, the sources said.

The disruption of railway service has hit the state badly as it is cut off also due to damage at Patharkandi area of Assam since last week.

Hundreds of vehicles carrying passengers and essential commodities have been stranded on both sides of the highway and Border Road Task Force (BRTF) personnel are struggling to repair the damaged parts of the highway, the sources added. Meanwhile, the collapse of rail service and the surface communication on the highway triggered fear of price hike of essential commodities in state.

However, sources in state food and civil supplies department said there was adequate storage of foodgrains and fuel and stringent action would be taken against any move to create artificial crisis.

Bureau Report