The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has successfully operated 74 special trains from April 1, 2024, to October 14, 2024, providing commendable services to passengers across the region and beyond.
During this period, NFR conducted 673 trips, catering to over 9.9 lakh passengers until the specified date. The earnings generated from these special train operations amounted to an impressive figure of over ₹94.13 crore approximately, reflecting the railway’s commitment to enhancing service quality and addressing the growing travel demand of rail passengers.
A total of 8.837 lakh additional berths were provided during this period to cater to the needs of passengers.
When compared to the previous financial year, from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, when 100 special trains were operated, the performance in the current year remains highly encouraging.
Over 1,144 trips were conducted during the financial period of 2023-24, with an annual earning of ₹109.58 crore. Thus, the performance from April 1 to October 14, 2024, compared to the previous FY 2023-24 during the same period indicates a remarkable improvement in terms of both performance and revenue generation.
The current period has already achieved almost 85.90% of the total revenue earnings of FY 2023-24 within just six and a half months.
NFR has been executing the operations of 13 pairs, or 26 special trains, during the ongoing festive season of Durga Puja, Diwali, and Chhath Puja, starting from October 1 to November 30, 2024. Hence, NFR will be completing 238 trips of festive special trains during this auspicious period.
These festive trains, along with the special ones, have been covering important destinations like Amritsar, Bengaluru, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj, Kolkata, Anand Vihar, Shri Ganganagar, and other significant locations along the journey route. The special trains also boost interconnectivity within the zone during this period to areas like Agartala, Naharlagun, Silchar, New Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, and Katihar, among other adjacent areas.
With several months still remaining in FY 2024-25, NFR is poised to surpass the operational benchmarks set in the previous year. The efficiency showcased in the operation of special trains by NFR and its ability to meet passenger demands have played a key role in generating these positive outcomes.