The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is making significant strides toward launching electric train services in southern Assam and Tripura, with efforts underway to commence operations at the earliest, officials confirmed on Friday.
As part of the preparations, the first trial run of a goods train with an electric locomotive was successfully conducted on Thursday between Badarpur station in southern Assam and Jirania station in Tripura, located 15 km north of Agartala railway station.
Electrification and Future Plans
An NFR official stated that key electrification and infrastructure upgrades in both states have been recently completed. Before introducing electric passenger trains, additional trial runs with goods trains will be conducted.
“We are working intensively to begin passenger train operations with electric locomotives within a month or, at most, two months,” the official said.
Currently, Tripura is well-connected to major Indian cities, including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Firozpur, and Patna, through multiple express trains. However, all passenger trains are presently running on diesel engines.
The ₹46 crore electrification project, launched in 2022, aims to integrate Tripura into the national railway grid with electric trains. The Tripura State Electricity Corporation Ltd (TSECL) will supply power to the railway’s electric transmission network.
Vande Bharat Express Expansion
With electrification infrastructure nearing completion, the Vande Bharat Express will soon be extended to Silchar (Assam) and Agartala (Tripura) within the next few months, according to NFR officials.
Tripura Rajya Sabha MP Rajib Bhattacharjee previously confirmed that only minor pending works remain before Vande Bharat operations can begin in these regions.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always prioritized the development of the northeastern states, and the Vande Bharat Express is one of his dream projects,” he stated.
The Prime Minister had flagged off Assam’s first Vande Bharat Express on May 29, 2023, connecting Guwahati with New Jalpaiguri (West Bengal). This service reduced travel time between the two cities to 5 hours and 30 minutes, compared to the previous fastest train, which took about 6 hours and 30 minutes. The train currently operates six days a week.
NFR’s Expanding Reach
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) oversees railway operations in all northeastern states, along with seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of north Bihar.
With the upcoming electrification, the introduction of electric trains is expected to enhance efficiency, reduce travel costs, and lower carbon emissions, significantly benefiting the region’s connectivity and economic growth.
