A landmark event was recorded today with the arrival of the first electric train at Kamakhya station of Lumding division of Northeast Frontier Railway. After successful completion of Railway Electrification works up to Kamakhya station and authorization granted by CRS/N. F. Circle after inspection from 7th to 9th October, the section from New Coochbehar to Kamakhya was opened for the operation of Electric Traction.
The first-ever electric train, i.e. NTSK/Parcel was received at Kamakhya station at 09:20 hours today. As such, this was a historical moment and a landmark achievement for N. F. Railway and NE region.
With this, a total of 760 Route KM/1701 Track KM has been electrified on N. F. Railway. These works have been carried out by Central Organization for Railway Electrification and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited.
The trains with electric locomotives were coming from Katihar and Malda up to New Coochbehar, where the electric loco was being detached from the train and diesel locomotive was being attached for its onward journey. Now with the completion of Railway Electrification works and commissioning of the section up to Kamakhya, these trains will come directly up to Kamakhya without change of traction. As such, there will be direct connectivity from New Delhi to Kamakhya on Electric Traction without a change of locomotive en route.
At this point, it is worthwhile to note the numerous inherent benefits of electric traction i.e. higher speed potential enabling faster trains, saving of time and energy, increase energy efficiency with a higher power to weight ratio, regenerative breaking, higher hauling capacity with high horsepower locomotives, improve reliability and line capacity, pollution-free mode of transportation, cost-effective due to lesser maintenance and operating cost etc