India: Meghalaya to get its first electric train to reduce carbon emissions

Meghalaya, India: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NF Railway) is advancing quickly in order to achieve the Indian Railways’ target of being a net carbon emitter by 2030.

The NF Railway has made progress towards its goal of fully electrifying the whole network by opening the 22.823-kilometre Dudhnoi-Mendipathar track single-line segment and the 34.59-kilometre Abhayapuri-Pancharatna track double line length on March 15, 2023.

The Central Organization for Railway Electrification provided oversight for the electrification activities in these areas (CORE).

A single railway station, Mendipathar, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 30, 2014, in the northeastern Indian state of Meghalaya.

Trains driven by electric locomotives will be able to leave Mendipathar in Meghalaya immediately after the installation of electric traction, increasing the average speed.

At their highest sectional speeds, these sections will be able to support more trains carrying both people and cargo.

Likewise, this section will begin and end on time. Using electric locomotives from other states, package and freight trains will be able to travel directly to Meghalaya.

Moreover, electrification will significantly boost train mobility in northeast India.

Electricity will replace fossil fuels, reducing pollution and improving the performance of the local train network.

This will facilitate efficient traffic, speed up trains going to and from Meghalaya, and save precious foreign currency.