Guwahati: Rail services to Murkongselek, Assam’s easternmost railway station on the north bank of the Brahmaputra and a key link to Arunachal Pradesh, were suspended indefinitely from Monday after a portion of the railway bridge over the Simen River in Dhemaji district collapsed due to massive riverbank erosion on Sunday.The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) said train operations on the nearly 60-km Silapathar–Murkongselek section will remain suspended until further notice. Railway officials said restoring connectivity is likely to take several weeks as a long-term solution requires extending the bridge to withstand the Simen River’s shifting course and erosion during the ongoing floods.A team of expert railway engineers from Lucknow has been deputed to inspect the damaged bridge and suggest restoration measures. NF Railway General Manager Chetan Kumar Srivastava, along with other senior officials, visited the site on Monday.NF Railway chief public relations officer KK Sharma said, ”The major issue is that slowly the river is changing its path. In this incident, the river bank on the right side got eroded as the river is coming towards that side. Under such circumstances, it has been decided to increase the length of the bridge to rebuild it.”Sharma said the extent of damage has forced a redesign with a longer span. ”It will take some time to find a permanent solution,” Sharma added.Until the bridge is rebuilt, trains on the route will terminate at Silapathar. ”Our expert team from Lucknow will arrive in Assam on Tuesday. Following discussions with the team, the design will be finalized,” Sharma added.Sharma had said on Sunday,”This bridge, constructed in 1965, and later converted to broad gauge, was in good and safe condition, but due to washing away of a large portion of the river bank during the heavy rains, one of its piers became unstable.”The disruption has hit residents in eastern Assam, where trains are a more affordable option than buses and private vehicles for travel to destinations including Guwahati. Three passenger trains operated daily on the route, providing connectivity to communities in the region and neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh.
