Press Release : DRM/MALDA HIGHLIGHTED THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF MALDA DIVISION • WEB PRESS CONFERENCE HELD ON 24/8/2020
DRM/MALDA HIGHLIGHTED THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF MALDA DIVISION • WEB PRESS CONFERENCE HELD on 24/8/2020
Kolkata, August 24, 2020:
Shri Yatendra Kumar, Divisional Railway Manager, Malda attended a Web Press Conference today (24.8.2020) at DRM’s Office, Malda. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Kumar highlighted the achievements of Malda Division in various spheres including new trains run in Malda Division the overall punctuality of the Division i.e. 94.78% during April – July 2020 in comparison to 81.68% during the corresponding period of last year. He also informed that Mail/Express punctuality has been increased to 95.16% during April – July 2020 as compared to 82.80 during the corresponding period of last year. He also informed of the increase in sectional speed between Bhagalpur – Dumka section and increase of average speed of goods trains.
Shri Kumar spoke of recently completed Railway electrification work between Poradanga – Manigram, Tinpahar-Sahibganj, Bhagalpur-Jamalpur, Jamalpur-Kiul, Sahibganj-shibnarayanpur and Shibnarayanpur-Bhagalpur sections. Shri Kumar informed that there was an increase of berths & seats in 5 Mail/Express trains on permanent basis and in 8 Mail/Express trains on temporary basis. Shri Kumar informed of 2 Nos. of escalators has been provided at Malda Town station, Monumental National Flag and Airport standard lighting at Malda Town station. Shri Kumar informed of the improvement of circulating area at Malda Town, Jangipur, Khaltipur, Nimtita and Sujnipara, provision of additional water coolers at Malda Town, New Farakka and Jangipur stations.
Shri Kumar informed of on-board housekeeping system in 6 trains, bio-toilets (230 Nos.), mechanized laundry and green initiatives over Malda Division. Shri Kumar also discussed about the Shramik special trains, PPE Kits and other major activities of public importance. Isolation coach, PPE training programme and thermal screening facility provided at 4 important stations of the Division were also discussed. To maintain the supply chain during COVID-19, 1488 Nos. of outward rakes and 1336 Nos. of inward rakes were dealt from April – July 2020.
Shri Kumar informed that Malda Divisional Business Development unit has been set up during July 2020 to interact with prospective customers to resolve the issues promptly and attract new goods/parcel traffic.
Special Brahmaputra Mail train to run on electric traction up to New Jalpaiguri Jn Another step towards emission free train operation and 100% electrification
Taking another step forward towards 100% electrification, 05956 Delhi - Guwahati Special
Brahmaputra Mail which left Delhi yesterday at 11-40 pm became the first NFR owned Mail/Express
train in post lockdown period to run on electric traction up to New Jalpaiguri Jn. Earlier this train
was running up to Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Jn on electric traction. It will reach New Jalpaiguri on
07.07.2020 covering 1624 Km distance. The same Electric locomotive will be utilized for return of
Special Brahmaputra Mail no 05955 which will leave New Jalpaiguri for Delhi on the very same day.
With commissioning of 326 RKM Electrification works up to New Jalpaiguri Jn, N F Railway
has also entered into Electric Traction era.
05956/05955 Delhi –Dibrugarh - Delhi Special Brahmaputra Mail will be the first passenger
train in newly electrified section of Bhagalpur - Shivnarayanpur portion under Malda division of
Eastern Railway to reach up to New Jalpaiguri. It can be mentioned here that successful CRS
inspection of the 39 KM Bhagalpur - Shivnarayanpur section was completed on 30.06.2020,
completing a missing link to start this operation.
There will be a saving in fuel cost of approximately Rs.20.4 Cr per annum for running of this
train on Electric traction between Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Jn – New Jalpaiguri Jn.
Now both the routes connecting Delhi to NE states upto New Jalpaiguri via Katihar,
Bhagalpur, and both the routes connecting Mumbai to NE states upto New Jalpaiguri via Kharagpur -
Howrah - Malda & Prayagraj - Patna - Bhagalpur - Malda are fully electrified. So from now on Delhi
and Mumbai bound trains can be run on electric traction from New Jalpaiguri. Needless to say that
there will be big savings on fuel bills once all long distance trains are converted to electric traction
apart from being environment friendly.
Two other NFR trains New Jalpaiguri - Howrah Shatabdi Express and New Jalpaiguri –Malda
Town passenger also ran in electric traction from New Jalpaiguri before COVID-19 related lockdown.
