HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Aug 18: Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has reported significant achievements in passenger services and freight operations, according to an official statement issued on Monday.
To reduce queues at ticket counters and enhance passenger convenience, 145 Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs) are being installed at 69 stations.
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These ATVMs will operate as 24×7 unmanned kiosks, enabling passengers to purchase unreserved tickets using smart cards or QR codes.
The smart cards can be recharged at nominated ticket counters to ensure a hassle-free travel experience.
The statement informed that punctuality performance has improved, with Mail/Express trains recording a 0.93% rise against the Board’s target of 85% and a 2.57% improvement compared to last year, placing NFR in the fifth position among all zonal railways.
This has been achieved through initiatives such as standardisation of 14 train pairs, speeding up 66 trains to save an average of 22 minutes per journey, and revising timings of 63 trains at major stations.
Four new train services — Bongaigaon–Guwahati Passenger, Tinsukia–Naharlagun Express, Guwahati–North Lakhimpur Jan Shatabdi Express and Sealdah–Jalpaiguri Road Express — have been introduced, while the frequency of the Silchar–Mahisasan Passenger has been increased to six days a week. Modernisation has also been undertaken with the conversion of Kishanganj–Ajmer Garib Nawaz Express to LHB coaches, conversion of 17 train pairs to end-to-end electric traction and permanent augmentation of 93 coaches providing 6,929 additional berths.
Freight loading has shown strong growth, rising by 6.9% to reach 6.819 MT during January–July 2025 compared to the same period last year.
Notable improvements include a 3,700% increase in bamboo traffic and 84.9% growth in stone. Operational records were achieved with the highest-ever interchange of 55 trains in a single day, the maximum Barsoi–Sudhani section run of 155 trains and the highest single-day loading of 960 wagons.
To expand freight capacity, new terminals have been commissioned at Nischintapur, Dhamalgaon, Mirza, Bishramganj and the Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal at Balurghat.
The official statement noted that these developments highlight NFR’s commitment to improving passenger amenities, strengthening punctuality, and boosting freight operations for the economic growth of the region.
