First passenger train pulled by electric loco comes to Assam

GUWAHATI: At 1.30 pm on Friday, when the Delhi-Kamakhya (Brahmaputra) Mail Special entered the Kamakhya station, it scripted history by becoming the first passenger train to Assam and the northeast running entirely on electric traction.


It marked an important step towards green transportation after the electrification of whole of NFR tracks, including branch lines, was sanctioned for 100% electrification in the 2017-18 budget. On Thursday, NF Railway ran its first parcel train on electric traction up to Kamakhya station.

NF Railway chief PRO Guneet Kaur stated that in return direction, the Kamakhya-Delhi (Brahmaputra) Mail Special left for Delhi from Kamakhya station at 2.30 pm through electric traction.

"The train became the first mail or express train to run on electric traction up to Kamakhya station of Guwahati after successful operation of a parcel train on electric traction just a day before. Thus, the NF Railway begins a new era," Kaur stated.

Up till now, trains with electric locomotives were coming from Katihar and Malda up to New Coochbehar, where the electric loco was being detached from train and diesel locomotive was being attached for its onward journey into the northeast.

"Now with the completion of railway electrification works and commissioning of the section up to Kamakhya, these trains will come directly up to Kamakhya without change of traction. As such, there will be direct connectivity from New Delhi to Kamakhya on electric traction without change of locomotive enroute," Kaur added.