North Frontier Railway

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is the division of Indian Railways to improve rail connectivity to the northeastern states. It is divided into 5 divisions for smooth functioning and improvement of passenger and freight transportation. 

Established in 1958, Northeast Frontier Railway has become an integral part of the rail network system. It is also a part of tourism through the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. The main centre of this division is in Guwahati, Assam. The NFR (North Frontier Railway) has a team of technicians and engineers to oversee the functioning of the trains in this area. 

A metre gauge line by the Assam Railway and Trading Company was the beginning of the railway network in the northeastern parts of India. It started in 1881. On 14th April 1952, the North Eastern Railway was made by merging the Assam Railway and Oudh and Tirhut Railways. Later in 1958 January 15, the Northeast Frontier Railway was born. It served exclusively to the northeastern states. 

The difficult terrain here made the rail networking challenging. However, the Indian railways have stood up to this challenge. The metre gauge rail tracks have been replaced by broad gauge and the lines are getting electrified for smooth functioning. 

For convenience, the Northeast Frontier Railway is divided into five divisions- Alipurduar, Katihar, Lumding, Rangiya, and Tinsukia divisions. These divisions cover the major sections that include, 

• Alipurduar–Bamanhat

• Barauni–Guwahati

• Eklakhi–Balurghat

• Guwahati–Lumding 

• Katihar–Jogbani

• Katihar–Siliguri 

• Lumding–Dibrugarh 

• New Bongaigaon–Guwahati 

• New Jalpaiguri–Alipurduar–Samuktala Road

• New Jalpaiguri–New Bongaigaon 

• Rangiya–Murkongselek 

• Silchar–Sabroom 

The Northeast Frontier Railways connect Agartala, Guwahati, and Itanagar, the three state capitals, to other parts of India. Trains from here operate to the South, North, and Western parts.  

Train tickets are conveniently available online. The major train routes of the Northeast Frontier Railway are given in the table. 

Sikkim is the only state that does not have a railway network yet. Construction work for the railway line called the Sivok–Rangpo line between West Bengal and Sikkim is currently going on. Apart from Sikkim, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, etc are getting new railway lines which are under construction. In addition, other projects are coming up soon in these areas.

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a part of the Northeast Frontier Railway, Katihar division. This is also called the Toy Train to Darjeeling. The Government of India bought it in 1948 and transferred it to the Assam railway. By 1952, it became a part of the Northeast Railway and in 1958, a member of the Northeast Frontier Railway.

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is known for its scenic route, which is located at an elevation of 6850 ft above sea level. It is called the Gateway to the Himalayas. The steam locomotives are part of the heritage of this part. The Darjeeling Himalayan train offers a ride through the loops, tunnels, and steep tracks is nothing short of an adventure. There still are some steam locomotives surviving in the workshop at Tindharia. Most of these are older than 100, and the youngest engine is 70. 

The NFR has played a major role in improving rail connectivity to the northeast states. With better rail tracks and more trains operating in these areas, it is now easy for people to reach here. Among the 300+ trains operating in this area, some trains connect to the farthest part, such as Kanyakumari and Dwarka. 

Keeping in mind the impact on the environment and the terrain, the railways are using the Linke Hofmann Busch- a lightweight design for the trains.

Advancements in Indian railways are focused on improving connectivity and accessibility. More than 600 general coaches were added to the regular trains operated by the Northeast Frontier Railway, in the past few months. 

While it may not be perfect, it sure has increased the prospects of safe and comfortable journeys for passengers. Digitisation has helped passengers check their PNR status or track the live train running status through the app or online.