Railway Electrification In Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) Picks Up Pace

GUWAHATI: Railway Electrification work in Northeast Frontier Railway has been accelerated during last two years and it is expected that by March next year, more than 50% of the total 6242 km of the railway tracks under Northeast Frontier Railway will be electrified. While a total of 534 km of railway lines has already been electrified, additional 2631 kilometre of railway line will be electrified by March 2020. The process of electrification of the rest 3077 km is also progressing a fast pace.

It may be mentioned that a total of 219 km of railway line falling under Katihar Division of NF Railway was electrified in 2017-18. Notable sections commissioned are Katihar Yard (37.51 km) and Katihar – Kumedpur – Malda Court (181.84 km) sections. Since then, the work had been accelerated and a total of 315 km of railway line has been electrified during the next year (2018-19), which include Malda Court – Singhbad (21.68 km), Katihar – Mukuria & Kumedpur-Mukuria (102.16 km) and Mukuria – Gunjaria (191.38 km) sections. Electrification of 1085 km of railway track including the Raninagar – Jalpaiguri – New Bongaigaon – Rangiya – Guwahati section is targeted to be completed by December 2019.

Presently, 21 pairs of passenger trains and 14 goods train running on electric traction originate from NFR and go out towards other zones. This figure is expected to increase as more and more sections get commissioned. Once the entire section from Katihar to New Jalpaiguri is electrified (which is expected to be completed by July 2019), the change of engines from electric to diesel will take place at New Jalpaiguri.

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