NFR passanger trains to resume on Lumding-Agartala route soon

With the ‘Black Widow’ militant group declaring unilateral ceasefire and Jewel Gorlosa, its chief, being arrested, the Northeast Frontier Railway might resume passenger train service on Lumding-Badarpur-Agartala hill section soon. A top official from NF Railway informed that they were ready to run passenger trains on the Lumding-Badarpur route; but were waiting for the state government to give its nod.

"We are ready to run passenger trains whenever the state government asks us to do so," said S Hojong to Business Standard.

He added that the providing adequate security would be the state government's responsibility. Passenger train service was suspended on April 10 on Lumding-Badarpur hill section following persistent attacks on trains, railway staff and locomotive drivers by the 'Black Widow' group, also known as Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel) faction.

Goods train service on the route too has been erratic due to militant attacks. Following the arrest of Jewel Gorlosa and two of his aides in Bangalore on June 4, and gunning down of one of its top functionaries a day earlier by the police, the militant group appears to have been jolted to some extent. Soon after, the very 'Black Widow' which had held North Cachar Hills district to ransom for quite sometime declared a unilateral ceasefire.