Address Barak Valley connectivity crisis: Gaurav Gogoi to PM Narendra Modi

Staff reporter

Guwahati: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president and Deputy Leader of Congress Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, moved to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and raised alarm over the deteriorating connectivity situation in Barak Valley.

The letter to the PM highlighted the repeated disruptions of connectivity during monsoon seasons, Gogoi said the Lumding-Badarpur railway section passing through the hills of Dima Hasao—vital for connecting Barak Valley to the rest of the state—has become unreliable due to frequent landslides, embankment washouts, and poor infrastructure. “In the last five years, this route has faced at least seven major breakdowns, stranding thousands,” he noted.

Gogoi further pointed out that key highways such as NH-6, NH-27 and NH-37 are also severely impacted, with repeated blockages around areas like Sonapur, Jatinga, and Harangajao. The recent collapse of the Harang Bridge, despite Rs 137 crore being spent on repairs, reflects the fragile state of road infrastructure in the region.

With both road and rail links cut off, Gogoi lamented that residents are now forced to depend solely on expensive air travel. Airfares between Silchar and Guwahati have reportedly soared to Rs 15,000–18,000—ten times higher than the Agartala-Guwahati fare.

“The Barak Valley, home to over 40 lakh people, continues to suffer from economic stagnation and youth despair due to chronic infrastructure failure,” Gogoi stated, demanding urgent and concrete steps from the Union Government.

In his letter, he urged the Centre to implement a time-bound connectivity roadmap that includes double-lining and landslide-proofing the Lumding-Badarpur rail route; sanctioning the alternative Lanka-Chandranathpur (Maynarbond) railway line; immediate restoration of road links through Border Road Organization (BRO) and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI); construction of climate-resilient bypass roads; re-introduce Air India or UDAN-subsidized flights between Silchar, Guwahati, and Kolkata and regulate airfare during road and rail suspensions through Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) intervention; and a special Connectivity Revival Package including inland waterways via the Barak River.

Gogoi concluded by emphasizing that “resilience cannot replace reliable infrastructure” and called for the Centre to act decisively in ending Barak Valley’s long-standing transport crisis.

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