Gaurav Gogoi Writes to PM Modi to Resolve Barak Valley’s Connectivity Crisis

Deputy Leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha and MP from Jorhat, Gaurav Gogoi, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing deep concern over the worsening connectivity crisis in Assam’s Barak Valley. Citing the ongoing monsoon-related disruptions, Gogoi said the region has yet again reached a “crisis point.”

In his letter, Gogoi flagged the chronic disruptions along the Lumding–Badarpur railway line, which passes through Dima Hasao. “In the past five years alone, this stretch has faced at least seven major breakdowns due to landslides, embankment washouts, and fragile infrastructure,” he noted, adding that these disruptions have left thousands stranded.

The MP also pointed to recurring landslides and damaged culverts on key highways—NH 6, NH 27, and NH 37—particularly near Sonapur, Jatinga, and Harangajao. He cited the recent collapse of the Harang Bridge on the Silchar–Kalain route despite Rs. 137 crore being spent on repairs, terming it a reflection of the “fragile state of road infrastructure.”

With both road and rail connectivity crippled, air travel has become the only option, Gogoi wrote, but it remains unaffordable for many. “One-way airfare between Silchar and Guwahati has crossed Rs. 15,000–18,000—more than ten times the usual rate,” he stated.

Calling the situation a serious threat to Barak Valley’s development, Gogoi emphasised that unreliable transport was hurting economic growth, delaying medical care, and pushing the youth into despair.

He urged the Union Government to adopt a time-bound roadmap that includes:

• Doubling and landslide-proofing the Lumding–Badarpur rail route;
• Expediting the Lanka–Chandranathpur (Maynarbond) alternative rail corridor;
• Immediate deployment of BRO and NHAI to restore road links;
• Constructing climate-resilient bypasses for uninterrupted access;
• Reintroducing subsidised flights between Silchar, Guwahati, and Kolkata;
• Launching a multi-modal “Connectivity Revival Package,” including inland waterways.

“Barak Valley needs the attention it has long been waiting for and deserves,” Gogoi concluded, urging the Prime Minister to act decisively and ensure long-term relief for the region’s people.