3 Trains from (GLPT)GOALPARA TOWN to (HJI)HOJAI

The more than usual rain & continuous bad weather in Assam has affected public services in the state. Devastating flood affected several districts of Assam including Dima Hasao and Hojai. In such a situation, while fulfilling its social responsibility, the Northeast Frontier Railway has extended a helping hand to the affected. The officers, employees of various departments of the railways are not o­nly engaged in the repair work of railway assets and machinery, but are also making every effort to help the flood victims.

The Lumding Division of N. F. Railway, in association with district authorities of Hojai ran a special train for the relief and rescue of flood affected people of the district recently. Consisting of three coaches, this flood relief train ran from Hojai to Jamunamukh, carrying food and essential materials for the flood affected people, who were taking shelter in make shift tents beside the railway tracks in the Hojai – Jamunamukh section.

Apart from distributing food and essential materials to more than a thousand flood affected people; the inter-departmental team of officials aboard the train was also able to rescue more than 100 people, whose houses have been washed away in the flood.

N. F. Railway is carrying out various works in NE region as part of the Disaster Management. Assistances are being provided to the flood affected people of this region in collaboration with the representatives of the state government wherever feasible.

RailTel makes special arrangements for providing Communication using Station Wi-Fi to stranded passengers of the two trains stuck last week o­n Lumding-Badarpur hill section in Assam because of heavy rains which led to total break-down of mobile services of all mobile operators in the affected area.

The affected area falls under Lumding Railway division of Northeast Frontier Railway (N. F.R)

Passengers could communicate with their relatives and families about their well-being using this special arrangement.

The Railway Administration also used this connectivity facility for organising relief and rescue operation effectively.

The Wi-Fi facility already available at Railway stations provided by RailTel Corporation (A Mini Ratna Central Government PSU of Ministry of Railways) proved very useful in providing this connectivity.

Local RailTel staff rose to the occasion to make this arrangement technically feasible.

The users of this facility were quite appreciative of Railways and felt satisfied.

Inclement weather and incessant rain led to cause massive landslides and water logging at several locations in Lumding (District:Hojai)- Badarpur (District: Karimganj) hill section in Assam falling under Lumding Railway division of Northeast Frontier Railway (N. F.R). Massive landslides and water logging resulted in huge damages to the railway track, bridges, road and communication network in this hilly terrain early this week.

NFR Railway zone had geared up its entire machinery and controlled train services over the affected section due to this serious condition. However, two trains got stranded in these flash floods each with about 1400 passengers - o­ne Train No. 15616 Silchar - Guwahati express at Ditokcherra station (District:Dima Hasao, Assam) and another Train No. 15615 Guwahati – Silchar express at New Haflong station (District:Dima Hasao, Assam). Railway Administration initiated massive evacuation operation with the help of Air Force, The Railway Protection Force (RPF) National Disaster Response Force. (NDRF), Assam Rifles and local people.

But another big challenge was to find some solution for total break-down of mobile services of all mobile operators in the affected area which left passengers and railway administration isolated from the world. Passengers were unable to communicate with their relatives and families about their well-being causing unrest and anxiety to them.

In this difficult situation the Wi-Fi facility already available at Railway stations provided by RailTel Corporation (A Mini Ratna Central Government PSU of Ministry of Railways)

proved very useful in providing connectivity. Local RailTel staff rose to the occasion working shoulder to shoulder with NFR administration and made special arrangements for passengers to use station Wi-Fi to contact their families. The Railway Administration also used this connectivity facility for organising relief and rescue operation effectively. This special arrangement was done by temporarily suspending the requirement of OTP o­n the mobile phone of a user, as required under standard procedure for authentication purpose as mobile services were down in that area.

This connectivity was provided at – Ditokcherra (Station Code:DTC), New Harangajao (Station code: NHGJ), New Halflong (Station Code:NHLG) all in Dima Hasao District, Damcherra (Station Code: DCA)in Cachar District in Assam falling under Lumding divison of NFR.

The users of this facility were quite appreciative of Railways and felt satisfied.