Maligaon, August 18 (MExN): Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has launched a major initiative to improve passenger convenience by installing 145 Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs) across 69 stations in its network. These 24x7 unmanned kiosks will allow travelers to purchase unreserved tickets using smart cards or QR codes, reducing queues at ticket counters. Smart cards can be recharged at designated counters, ensuring seamless travel.
Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer, NFR stated that punctuality performance has shown marked improvement, with Mail/Express trains recording a 0.93% rise against the Board’s target of 85% and a 2.57% improvement compared to last year, placing NFR in 5th position among all zonal railways.
This achievement was driven by measures such as standardization of 14 train pairs, speeding up 66 trains to save an average of 22 minutes per journey, and revising timings for 63 trains at major stations.
Four new train services have been introduced to strengthen connectivity, including Bongaigaon-Guwahati Passenger, Tinsukia-Naharlagun Express, Guwahati-North Lakhimpur Jan Shatabdi Express and Sealdah-Jalpaiguri Road Express. Additionally, the frequency of Silchar-Mahisasan Passenger was increased to six days a week. Modernization efforts continued with the conversion of Kishanganj-Ajmer Garib Nawaz Express to LHB coaches, conversion of 17 train pairs to end-to-end electric traction and permanent augmentation of 93 coaches providing 6,929 additional berths.
Freight performance has also registered strong growth, with loading increasing by 6.9% to reach 6.819 MT during January-July 2025 compared to the same period last year. Notable improvements include a 3,700% rise in bamboo traffic and 84.9% growth in stone. Operational records were set with the highest-ever interchange of 55 trains in a single day, the maximum Barsoi-Sudhanisection run of 155 trains and the highest single-day loading of 960 wagons.
To boost freight capacity, new terminals such as Nischintapur, Dhamalgaon, Mirza, Bishramganj and the Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal at Balurghat have been commissioned.
