Guwahati: In a major stride towards enhancing railway safety and operational efficiency, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has undertaken a comprehensive initiative to upgrade passenger running lines across all five of its divisions — Katihar, Alipurduar, Rangiya, Lumding and Tinsukia. This mission-mode initiative aims to bring loop lines at par with mainline standards to support the safe and reliable movement of trains. The move was prompted by the growing traffic on loop lines and the potential safety hazards associated with outdated track infrastructure. By prioritizing critical locations and adopting modern track maintenance practices, NFR is working to minimize unforeseen risks and improve the overall operational environment.

The year 2024–25 has seen record-breaking achievements under this initiative. The scope of the upgradation includes strengthening of ballast, improving track geometry, enhancing drainage systems and deploying advanced profiling techniques to assess track parameters at regular intervals. Infact, a total of 9.01 lakh cum of ballast was supplied and laid — the highest ever for NFR — surpassing the annual target by 36.52% i.e. 6.60 lakh cum. Also, through Rail Renewal (348.68 Tkm) and Sleeper Renewal (337.48 Tkm) have been done exceeding its targets, with the latter marking the highest progress in NFR history. Track tamping reached 10,672 km (32% above target), and 4,826 points were tamped both the highest ever achievements. In addition, 254.50 equivalent sets of turnout renewals were completed, and 196 Thick Web Switches along with 212 WCMS crossings were installed to enhance safety over points and crossings. These efforts were complemented by the removal or relaxation of 14 PSRs (Permanent Speed Restrictions) , saving 26.10 minutes in overall journey time alongwith installation of 9 new Foot Over Bridges for improved passenger amenities. Additionally, updated digital registers and a unified asset management system are being implemented to monitor and manage the improved track assets efficiently.

This landmark initiative has already yielded significant benefits, including improved punctuality, reduced downtime for maintenance and enhanced passenger safety. The General Manager of NFR, Shri Chetan Kumar Shrivastava, praised the engineering teams for their dedication and strategic execution, noting that the project reflects NFR’s commitment towards building a safer, more modern and passenger-centric railway network in the zonal front. With the successful execution of this project across all divisions, NFR continues to lead the way in infrastructure modernization and operational excellence within Indian Railways.