Northeast Desk, 21st November: The North East Frontier (NF) Railway is making strides toward achieving 100% electrification of un-electrified Broad Gauge routes in its zone, a crucial step in reducing dependence on fossil fuels. This initiative aligns with Indian Railways’ mission to become the largest “GREEN RAILWAYS” globally. Currently, NF Railway has successfully electrified 1956.63 RKM (Route Kilometres), constituting 45.00% of the total 4348 RKM network. The goal is to achieve net zero carbon emissions.
In the North-eastern states, 2391.38 Km of routes are yet to be electrified. Notably, 910.45 Km in Assam, 9.58 Km in Meghalaya, and 6.00 Km in Nagaland have already been electrified. Furthermore, Bihar has seen electrification of 285.87 Km, and West Bengal witnessed 744.726 Km under the jurisdiction of N.F. Railway.
Recently, electrification works were completed and inspected in three sections at N.F. Railway in Assam: Badarpur-Silchar (29.60 RKM), Badarpur-Baraigram (41.77 RKM), and Baraigram-Dullabcherra (27.00 RKM). To expedite electrification, organizations like Indian Railway Construction International Limited (IRCON), Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES), NFR/Construction, and Central Organisation for Railway Electrification (CORE) are executing phased electrification works across the zone.
Electrification is poised to enhance train mobility on NFR and fortify the rail network in the north-eastern states. Besides the environmental benefits, the shift from fossil fuels to electricity is anticipated to bolster the financial performance of the Railway. This transition will enable seamless traffic flow, increase train speed, and improve punctuality in train movements.