Farakka track subsidence forces cancellation of several trains to North Bengal

Damaged railway tracks and overhead electrical lines following land subsidence near New Farakka station in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, on Friday. Heavy rainfall caused the ground underneath the tracks to collapse, disrupting train services across the Malda division. | Photo Credit: PTI Land subsidence has caused railway tracks near Farraka in Murshidabad district to lose their moorings and severely disrupted train connectivity to north Bengal, and the States beyond it. The West Bengal State Government has deployed extra buses to north Bengal to help commuters.The first instance of land subsidence below the tracks was reported on September 3 (Thursday), and during repairs, another major incident of subsidence was reported from the same area on Friday (September 4, 2026), leading to massive repair work.Due to the subsidence, electric lines and signalling systems besides the tracks have also been affected, which has led to further difficulty in restoration work.“Due to heavy flooding, the land below the tracks subsided, which led to the trains being stopped. Teams are working round the clock to restore the lines,” Divisional Railway Manager Rajeev Saxena said on Friday (September 4, 2026).Most trains to and from north Bengal have been cancelled, and a couple have been diverted and are taking much longer to reach their destinations, causing massive hurdles for passengers.Trains like Uttarbanga Express, Kanchankanya Express, Darjeeling Mail, Padatik Express, Balurghat Express, New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express, New Alipurduar Teesta Torsa Express, Sealdah Agartala Express, and others were all cancelled on Friday. Many were cancelled on Thursday and will remain cancelled until Saturday (September 5, 2026). These are trains bound for New Jalpaiguri, from which point people travel to popular tourist destinations in north Bengal and are used by local residents for commuting, and always run at full capacity. Their cancellation has put a massive burden on the bus system.Amenities for the strandedChief Minister Suvendu Adhikari held an emergency meeting on the crisis. The CM said food and drinking water were being provided to people in trains stuck on the tracks in Malda and Murshidabad. “I have told the DMs of these two districts that if the situation does not become normal by tonight, they must provide accommodation to stranded passengers,” Mr. Adhikari said on Friday (September 4, 2026). The DRM said every passenger passing through north Bengal must check the status of their train before heading to the station to avoid extra hassle. The railways are also assisting people to get refunds for cancelled tickets.Private bus owners from Kolkata to north Bengal are now charging a premium for the same distance, leaving the average passenger in distress.Transport Minister Arjun Singh has directed the transport department to start additional buses. The Kolkata-Siliguri was allocated 23 additional buses on Friday and six on Thursday. Siliguri-Kolkata also got 18 additional buses on Friday (September 4, 2026). “The District Magistrates have been directed to coordinate with private bus operators and ensure that passengers are not subjected to any unreasonable increase in fares during the disruption,” transport department officials said on Friday (September 4, 2026). Published - September 04, 2026 08:24 pm IST