With the electrification of two key routes, the northeastern state of Meghalaya will see the operation of electric trains for the first time...
Digital Desk: With the electrification of two key routes, the northeastern state of Meghalaya will see the operation of electric trains for the first time, the Railways said in a statement. The Northeast Frontier Railway accomplished the milestone by commissioning a 22.823-track-kilometer single-line stretch of Dudhnai-Mendipathar and a 34.59-track-kilometer double-line section between Abhayapuri and Pancharatna on March 15.
The Railways stated in a statement that Mendipathar is currently the only railway station in the northeastern state of Meghalaya that has been in service since 2014, following the prime minister's inauguration.
Following the commissioning of electric traction, trains hauled by electric locomotives will be able to run straight out of Mendipathar in Meghalaya, increasing the average speed.
"More passenger and freight carrying trains will be able to operate through these sections with full sectional speeds. Punctuality will also increase in this section. Parcel and freight carrying trains hauled by electric locomotives from other states will be able to reach Meghalaya directly," the statement said.
Electrification will significantly boost train mobility in northeast India, in addition to the reduction in pollution due to the shift from fossil fuel to electricity, the efficiency of the railway system in the region will also improve, the statement said.
This would improve traffic flow and save time for trains traveling to and from the northeastern states, in addition to savings in precious foreign exchange, it said.
