NFR to restore operations of actual number of passenger trains prior to Covid phase

Guwahati: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has decided to run all 60 pairs of passenger trains with their regular numbers as they were running prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, officials said here on Saturday.

A senior official of the NFR said that as per a decision by the Railway Board, all NFR-run passenger trains (ICF/DEMU/LHB) would be operated with regular number (instead of the existing ‘0’ numbering system).

All the 60 pairs of passenger trains would operate as per earlier frequency with their earlier train numbers from January 2025 onwards, he said.

Out of the 60 pairs of passenger trains, four pairs would operate from Tinsukia Division, 19 pairs from Lumding Division, 10 pairs from Rangiya Division, six pairs from Alipurduar Division (West Bengal) and 21 pairs would operate from Katihar Division (Bihar).

The details of stoppages and timings of all the 60 pairs of trains are available on the IRCTC website and the social media platforms of the NFR.

According to the official, during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-21, the railway ran special trains with a little higher fare and these systems still continued.

The NFR operates in the northeastern states and in seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of northern Bihar with more than 6,400 km of tracks in its jurisdiction.

The official said that the NFR has been making a constant endeavour to make train journeys safer and secure.

He said that during the month of November, the NFR installed Thick Web Switch Point machines with clamp-type locking in 31 stations across the zone to further improve the safety features.

To further enhance efficiency and safety, NFR has carried out various upgrades and replacements to its existing signalling system in several sections within the zone, the official stated.