Assam: Railways to attach additional coaches to trains for stranded passengers

The North East Frontier Railway has decided to attach additional coaches in trains to help passengers stranded due to floods.

"Flood has affected nearly 30 districts of Assam. As a result of the flood, the road connectivity between upper and lower Assam is also affected resulting in problems of the travelling public. Heavy rush has resulted in trains due to disruption of road communication. To mitigate the problem of stranded passengers, N.F railway has decided to add additional coaches in some popular trains connecting important cities of upper and lower Assam," read a statement issued on Tuesday.

The trains in which additional coaches will be added are Guwahati-Jorhat Town Jan Shatabadi Express, New Jalpaiguri-Alipurduar Junction Passenger, Alipurduar-Guwahati passenger, Guwahati-Mariani Passenger, New Tinsukia-Rangiya Express, and Dibrugarh-Rangiya Express.

Several trains have been cancelled and others rescheduled due to the ongoing landslide and incessant rainfall witnessed in Assam.

14 NDRF teams have been deployed in Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Biswanath, Chariali, Cachar, Dhemaji, Golaghat, Guwahati, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Sivasagar and Tinsukia to tackle the worsening flood situation in the districts due to torrential rain and overflowing rivers and water bodies.

On Monday, in the low lying areas of district Bishwanath, Chariali, Golaghat, Morigaon and Tinsukia, NDRF evacuated 460 people and shifted them to safer places and so far over 3000 people have been evacuated in Assam by the force.

The Assam flood situation was brought up in the Parliament on Monday with Congress parliamentarian and Assam Congress Committee President Ripun Bora giving a Zero Hour Notice over flood situation in his home state.