West Bengal train services hit after ground beneath railway tracks sinks near Farakka due to rain

Rail connectivity between South and North Bengal remained severely disrupted on Friday after heavy rain triggered major soil subsidence, eroding soil beneath a 20-metre stretch of tracks near New Farakka station. Eastern Railway has cancelled 14 trains on the route, as around 150 workers, along with senior railway engineers, are carrying out restoration work on a war footing.

Officials said that full normalisation on the Up line could still take a day or two, as operations will not resume until the stretch is certified entirely safe and landslide-free. The soil subsidence occurred roughly 100 metres from New Farakka toward Barharwa around 2.30 am on Wednesday, when patrolling gangmen spotted the ground sinking several feet and immediately notified the station manager.

While emergency teams suspended movement on the Up line, stranding multiple trains across various stations, limited services resumed on the Down line by Thursday afternoon. However, the vast majority of services were cancelled on Friday to ensure passenger safety.

Restoration work is being done using stone chips and ballast transported from Jharkhand by freight trains, said an officer. The effort was further complicated on Thursday night when a secondary landslip occurred along the bank of an adjacent pond, causing an overhead electric pole to tilt precariously.

Eastern Railway Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Shivram Majhi said that efforts are underway to repair the subsidence. “However, while working, we noticed the affected area expanding. The landslip has been halted for now, and remaining tasks are being carried out.

Work was temporarily stalled due to the damage, but if no fresh complications arise, we expect to complete repairs by Friday evening. Work is progressing on a war footing. If everything goes smoothly, services should normalise by Saturday," Majhi said.

Eastern Railway has stated that its team is working round the clock to restore normalcy in the subsidence-affected site between Tildanga and New Farakka in Malda Division. Gitika Pandey, General Manager, Eastern Railway, is continuously monitoring the restoration efforts.

“With coordinated efforts, close supervision and necessary resources deployed at the site, every possible measure is being taken to ensure safe and early restoration of normal train operations,” Eastern Railway said in a statement on Friday.

With train services disrupted ahead of the weekend, daily commuters and tourists heading to North Bengal are facing major travel difficulties. As government bus tickets sell out almost instantly, stranded passengers have turned to private operators, with many alleging that bus companies have sharply increased fares overnight, exploiting the transit crisis.

(Additional cancellations include the Howrah–New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express and Howrah–NJP Shatabdi Express). Sweety Kumari is a seasoned journalist reporting from West Bengal for The Indian Express. With over a decade of experience in the media industry and eight years specifically with The Indian Express, she demonstrates considerable Expertise and Authority across a diverse range of critical beats.

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