Farakka rail restoration nears completion; North Bengal train services may resume soon

Kolkata 

Eastern Railway authorities on Saturday (September 5, 2026) said that the train lines that suffered subsidence in West Bengal’s Farakka are close to being restored, and normal train services to north Bengal may be started soon. 

Trial runs on the restored tracks have already started, and as part of the trial runs, a goods carriage passed through the down line in Farakka , Murshidabad district, to check the stability of the newly restored tracks.  

Farakka is the gateway to most trains travelling to North Bengal; hence, line subsidence in the area has almost completely cut off South Bengal’s connectivity with North Bengal and the States beyond it. Other than a few select trains like the Howrah–Kamakhya Vande Bharat Sleeper Express, most others have been suspended. 

Trains like Silchar-Sealdah Kanchenjunga Express and Malda Town-Surat Express are also now running on normal routes.  

Many of the North Bengal-bound trains have been suspended since Thursday and were still suspended on Saturday, with authorities hoping to resume normal services soon, as the restoration work is in its last and final lap. 

The suspended services have severely affected people’s commute, with many tourists struggling to find alternatives. 

“We already have bookings in the hills for our holiday. We cannot lose all the money just because the train was cancelled. But the bus cost us triple the amount as the train. Private bus operators are now demanding as much money as they want. Some are asking ₹4000 for a ₹1500 ticket,” a stranded passenger who was about to board a bus from Kolkata after his train was cancelled, said. 

The trains to North Bengal, which is also the gateway to the Northeastern States, always run at full capacity because of the popular tourist destinations in the hills. The cancellations have affected many travel plans for tourists. 

However, the West Bengal State Transport Department has started extra government bus services to and from north Bengal to help with the situation. 

According to the railway authorities, the land subsidence under the railway line in Farakka was due to the incessant rains and flooding in the area. On Thursday (September 3, 2026), a massive land subsidence under the tracks was reported in Farakka, bringing train services to a halt. However, during the restoration process on Friday (September 4, 2026), the area suffered another major subsidence, leading to further damage and extending restoration work. 

“Officers, engineers and ground teams are working in close coordination and are carefully inspecting every aspect to ensure safety and fitness before normal train operations are restored,” the official page of the Eastern Railways wrote on their social media on Saturday (September 5, 2026). 

Gitika Pandey, General Manager, Eastern Railway also visited the affected area on Saturday (September 5, 2026) to conduct an inspection of the restoration work.