India: Meghalaya to have its first electric train!

Meghalaya, India: In order to meet Indian Railways’ goal of being a net carbon emitter by 2030, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NF Railway) is moving forward at top speed.

By launching the 22.823-kilometre Dudhnoi-Mendipathar track single line segment and the 34.59-kilometre Abhayapuri-Pancharatna track double line stretch on March 15, 2023, the NF Railway has reached another milestone in its effort to fully electrify the whole network.

The electrification work of these parts was done under the guidance of the Central Organization for Railway Electrification (CORE).

Meghalaya, a state in northeast India, only has one railroad station, Mendipathar, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened on November 30, 2014.

After the installation of electric traction, trains pulled by electric locomotives will be able to leave Mendipathar in Meghalaya right away, improving the average speed.

These sections will be able to accommodate more trains carrying both passengers and cargo at their top sectional speeds.

This part will also start and end on time. Direct routes to Meghalaya will be possible for package and freight trains operated by electric locomotives from other states.

Train mobility in northeast India will also be considerably increased by electrification.

By switching from fossil fuels to electricity, pollution will be decreased, and the railway system in the region will operate more effectively.

Along with facilitating smooth traffic, this will help speed up trains travelling to and from Meghalaya and conserve valuable foreign currency.