Bathnaha

During the recently completed financial year from April, 2021 to March, 2022, N. F. Railway carried 13757 rakes of freight trains as against 11659 during the corresponding period of the previous financial year, thus registering an impressive increase of 18%.

Northeast Frontier Railway has unloaded 1349 freight carrying trains registering highest ever release of rakes achieved in the month of March, 2022. This is an increase of 8.8% in comparison to the corresponding period of last year (i.e., March, 2021).N. F. Railway has transported goods like FCI rice, sugar, salt, edible oil, food grains, fertilizer, cement, stone chips, coal, maize, auto, container and other items during the month and unloaded them in different goods sheds within its jurisdiction spreading over entire N.E. Region apart from parts of West Bengal and Bihar during this period.

During March, 2022, 735 rakes of freight carrying trains were unloaded in Assam out of which 410 were loaded with essential commodities. 150 rakes in Tripura, 31 rakes in Nagaland, 5 rakes in Manipur, 5 rakes in Arunachal Pradesh and 8 rakes in Mizoram were unloaded during the month. 250 freight rakes in West Bengal and 165 freight rakes in Bihar were also unloaded during the month within the jurisdiction of N. F. Railway.

To improve customer interface and further augment freight transportation, Bathnaha station under Katihar division has been opened for handling of both outward and inward coal traffic until further advice w.e.f 07.03.2022. Earlier it was opened for handling of both outward and inward goods traffic except coal, POL, livestock, explosive and crane consignment. Charali station under Tinsukia division has been opened for handling of outward Coal traffic w.e.f 09.03.2022. Earlier it was opened for handling of both outward and inward goods traffic except coal, POL, livestock, explosive and crane consignment.

Raiganj station under Katihar division and Salbari station under Alipurduar division have been opened for handling of both outward and inward all goods traffic except coal, POL, livestock, explosive and crane consignment w.e.f 10.03.2022 & 25.03.2022 respectively.

Goalpara station under Rangiya division and Shukhovi station in Nagaland under Lumding station have been opened for handling of both outward and inward goods traffic including coal except POL, livestock, explosives and crane consignmentsw.e.f 11.03.2022 & 28.03.2022 respectively.

Moreover, Vishwanath Charali station and Ghograpar station under Rangiya division have been opened for handling of outward coal traffic w.e.f 15.03.2022 & 23.03.2022 respectively. Earlier Vishwanath Charali station was opened for handling both outward and inward goods traffic except coal, POL, livestock, explosive and crane consignment. Ghograpar station was earlier opened for inward automobile traffic.

Improved terminal handling facility and introduction of more goods sheds has made it more convenient for customers and other stake holders to unload and clear inward rake in a time bound manner. Continuous monitoring at all level has also resulted in reduction in turnaround time and increased unloading.

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is making all out efforts to enhance freight traffic with a dictum of ‘Hungry for Cargo’. Northeast Frontier Railway has started transportation of maize among other commodities through railway as part of its renewed focus o­n freight loading to capture new stream of traffic. Normally, this traffic used to be transported by roadways. However, the Business Development Units (BDUs) of N. F. Railway worked with traders and transporters to enable the shift for large quantities of maize from roadways to railways.

In a recent development, the BDU team of Katihar division successfully able to bring 45% of maize for transportation through railways where about 1800-2000 tonne of maize per day is transported by roadways. Maize loaded rakes are being transported from Bathnaha, Ranipatra, Surja Kamal, Katihar, Purnia and Dalkhola stations.

N. F. Railway has taken few initiatives to increase the transportation of maize and other commodities in Katihar division. Notification for opening of new goods yards at Araria and Adina stations has been issued for loading of outward domestic traffic. Improvement works of goods yards at Ranipatra and Jalalgarh stations are going o­n; further improvement of goods yards in Katihar, New Jalpaiguri and Purnea stations are also planned.

As a part of the Business Development Units (BDUs) initiatives by Northeast Frontier Railway, meeting with various stake holders are being held regularly. During discussion, theywere informed that they can easily transport their commodities from their nearest convenient railway station at a much cheaper rate in comparison to road sector.These discussions by the BDUs within their respective areas are also helping to find new segment of traffic for movement by train.

N.F. Railway has set up Business Development Units (BDUs) at all the Divisions i.e. Katihar, Alipurduar, Rangiya, Lumding and Tinsukia and also at Zonal Head Quarters level to increase the freight transportation volume. The initiatives by the BDUs of various divisions have been successful in bringing in new mode of traffic to railways from road sector.