People gather near a truck after some part of National Highway 6 (NH06) under Lumshnong police station area crashed due to landslide following heavy rains in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district.
Highlight
- NH 6, which connects Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur to rest of the country, continues to be cut
- Officials inspect the damaged section of NH-6 at Lum Shong in East Jaintia Hills on Sunday
- Meghalaya Chief Minister said that all efforts are being made to restore the entire damaged stretch of road
National Highway-6, which connects Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and the southern part of Assam with the rest of the country, was cut off for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday due to landslides triggered by incessant rains. The single line rail route connecting these states with the rest of the country has also been cut off for the last 38 days.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma along with Home Minister Lakhmen Rimbui along with district administration officials, PWD engineers and NHAI officials inspected the damaged portion of NH-6 at Lum Shong in East Jaintia Hills on Sunday.
An alternate route has been identified at Lum Shong, which has been opened for light motor vehicles only, a Meghalaya government official said. The Chief Minister interacted with the truck drivers stranded in the area and assured them that the administration would extend all possible help.
Sangma said that in view of the weather conditions, efforts are being made to restore road connectivity in the next 48 to 72 hours. He said the repair work was hampered due to incessant rains but the administration was working to restore road communication.
“All efforts are being made to restore the entire damaged stretch of road to ensure access. However, there is a big challenge, as the rain continues. It is only when the rain stops and the water flows turns, the affected area can be restored,” the chief minister told the media.
In Lum Shong, water is flowing down the road from the hills, damaging an important national highway and affecting repair work. According to the official, over 1,000 trucks laden with goods are stranded on both sides of the road from Assam to Meghalaya.
Sangma said that the state government has sought Rs 300 crore from the Union Home Ministry to start the restoration work. “The rains have been unprecedented, breaking records of the past 40 years in some areas. Apart from damage to highways, important road links in rural areas, bridges have been washed away. The financial impact of this will greatly impact the livelihoods of people across the state. Damage to livestock, agricultural activities is another matter of concern,” the Chief Minister said.
The state government will take some time to assess the damage, he said, adding that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been apprised of the situation. The damage to NH-6 has caused immense inconvenience to the people of Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and southern part of Assam, affecting movement of essential commodities, food grains, transport fuel besides passengers.
Meanwhile, the situation in the hilly section of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) in Dima Hasao district of Assam remained grim since May 14 as inclement weather continued in the region, affecting the Lumding-Badarpur single line railway route connecting Tripura, Mizoram. Has happened. , Manipur and the southern part of Assam along with the rest of the country.
According to NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Sabyasachi Dey, train services in Lumding division have been canceled till the end of June. He said that the violation took place at more than 61 places in this section, resulting in disruption of rail communication in Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and parts of Assam. Restoration work has already been completed at 46 places and work is going on in full swing at other 15 important places.
The CPRO said the NFR is targeting rapid restoration work in the entire hill section with the aim of resuming services by July 10.
Dey said that even in such inclement weather, thousands of workers and hundreds of machines are working day and night under the supervision of railway officials.
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