Indian Railways will operate its first electric trains in the northeastern state of Meghalaya as a result of the electrification of two important routes, according to a railway statement. Northeast Frontier Railway reached milestones by commissioning the 22.823 track-km single-line section of Dudhnai-Mendipathar and the 34.59 track-km double-line section between Abhayapuri and Panchratna on March 15.
Currently, Mendipathar is the only railway station in the north-eastern state of Meghalaya, which has been operational since 2014 after being inaugurated by the Prime Minister, the railways said in a statement.
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After the commissioning of electric traction, trains hauled by electric locomotives will now be able to operate directly from Mendipathar in Meghalaya, thereby increasing the average speed.
Electric train for the first time in Meghalaya. pic.twitter.com/H4hrdBa4SV— Ashwini Vaishnav (@ashwinivaishnav) March 17, 2023
“More passenger and freight trains will be able to operate through these sections at full sectional speed,” the statement said.
Electrification will significantly improve mobility of trains in Northeast India. Apart from the reduction in pollution due to the shift from fossil fuels to electricity, the efficiency of the railway system in the region will also improve, the statement said. It said that this would facilitate seamless traffic and save precious foreign exchange besides saving time of trains to and from the North Eastern States.
with PTI inputs