JALALGARH

N. F. Railway has been taking several initiatives to improve the freight transportation and provide better customer interface. Among such initiatives, few more stations have been opened for handling of both outward & inward goods traffic while round the clock working system in two more goods sheds has been introduced during the month of February, 2022. Moreover, Parcel Management System has been installed at few stations over N. F. Railway for the first time to make parcel business more customers-friendly.

To improve customer interface and further augment freight transportation, Belonia station under Lumding division has been opened for handling of inward coal traffic while Bhojo station under Tinsukia division has been opened for handling of outward coal traffic also. Earlier, both the stations were opened for handling of both outward and inward all goods traffic except coal, POL, live stock, explosive & crane consignment. Barahu station under Lumding division has been opened for handling of both outward and inward all goods traffic including coal, except POL, live stock, explosive & crane consignment.

Moreover, round the clock working system has been introduced in Surjakamal and Jalalgarh goods terminals under Katihar division for better turn round of wagons. With this, facilities of 24x7 working hours are now available in 30 freight terminals over N. F. Railway till February, 2022. Round the clock working system in the goods sheds helps in reduction of turnaround time, thereby improving the mobility of the wagons; and also ensures availability of essential items in local market. It also helps in avoiding hoarding of goods and boosting the local economy by generating employment for the local labourers engaged in loading/unloading works at those locations.

N. F. Railway is gearing up to modernize its parcel management system to enhance a user-friendly interface for parcel booking.Parcel Management System has been installed for the first time over N. F. Railway during the month of February, 2022 at the parcel offices of Agartala, Katihar, Guwahati, Kishanganj, New Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar Junction, Dibrugarh and New Alipurduar.

         Under the improved system, booking of parcels is being done at parcel offices through computerized system. Traders and businessmen now can avail these services for transportation of their merchandise in a fast, reliable and eco-friendly manner. They can also track their consignments.

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.