Barak Valley's connectivity crisis leaves 40L stranded: Gogoi to PM

Time of India

10-07-2025

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Silchar: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi has urged PM Narendra Modi to urgently intervene in the worsening connectivity crisis of the Barak Valley, highlighting the region's continued isolation due to repeated disruptions in rail and road infrastructure.
In a letter addressed to the PM on Thursday, Gogoi said the current condition of both railway and highway networks has reached a "critical low", leaving nearly 40 lakh residents of the valley stranded and disconnected from the rest of the country.
Citing repeated breakdowns on the Lumding–Badarpur railway section, the Congress leader said, "This stretch passing through the fragile hills of Dima Hasao has become synonymous with chronic disruption."
He noted that in the last five years alone, the section has witnessed at least seven major breakdowns caused by landslides, embankment failures, and weak infrastructure. "Rail services remain suspended for weeks, severely impacting life and economic activities," he added.
The memorandum also flagged the deteriorating condition of national highways, including NH-6, NH-27 and NH-37, which frequently suffer from landslides and damaged culverts — particularly near Sonapur, Jatinga, and Harangajao.
Gogoi cited the recent collapse of the Harang bridge on the Silchar–Kalain route, despite Rs 137 crore spent on repairs, as an example of the poor state of road infrastructure.
"With both road and rail links disrupted, the Barak Valley is completely cut off. The only alternative — air travel — has become prohibitively expensive," Gogoi wrote. Airfares between Silchar and Guwahati have surged to Rs 15,000–Rs 18,000 one-way, over ten times the rate on comparable routes such as Agartala–Guwahati, the letter pointed out.
Calling the situation "untenable," Gogoi appealed for a comprehensive, time-bound roadmap from the Centre and listed a series of demands. These include double-laning and landslide-proofing of the Lumding–Badarpur rail line using modern geo-barriers, fast-tracking the alternative Lanka–Chandranathpur railway corridor, regulated UDAN-subsidised flights during disruptions, among others.
He added that the connectivity bottleneck is hampering economic growth, deterring investors, and adversely affecting healthcare and education in the region. "Despite repeated appeals by civil society and elected representatives, a sustainable and accountable solution is yet to be seen," the APCC chief said.