NF Railway Electrification: Over 66% of Network Achieved, Assam Leads the Way

Northeast Frontier (NF) Railway continues to make significant strides in its electrification mission as part of Indian Railways’ ambitious goal to achieve 100 per cent electrification and net-zero carbon emissions.

As of November 2024, NF Railway successfully electrified a total of 2,827.74 Route Kilometres (RKM), which is above 66.00 per cent of the total target of 4260.52 RKM thus reflecting rapid yearly progress in modernizing its rail network.

Electrification has been completed across various divisions of NF Railway with Lumding (986.76 RKM), Katihar (747.12 RKM), Alipurduar (618.75 RKM), Rangiya (433.8 RKM) and Tinsukia (41.31 RKM) contributing to the total. Among states under the NF Railway jurisdiction, Assam leads with 1,401.46 RKM electrified tracks, followed by West Bengal (935.94 RKM), Bihar (318.87 RKM) and Tripura (151.58 RKM). Electrification in states like Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur has also been initiated, showcasing NF Railway's commitment towards inclusive infrastructure development in the northeastern region.

During the last fiscal year, electrification of 921.62 RKM was achieved, with an additional 244.6 RKM electrified up to November 2024. Targeting a greener and more efficient network, NFR aims to electrify 1,573 RKM during the financial year 2024-25, significantly advancing its total electrification plan of 4260.52 RKM.

This large-scale electrification project is being executed by premier agencies including Indian Railway Construction International Limited (IRCON), Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) and NF Railway/Construction. The completion of these electrification projects is expected to bring about multiple benefits including eco-friendly and energy-efficient rail operations. It will inversely reduce the dependence on crude oil with enhanced train punctuality and speeds due to seamless traction.