Agartala/Tripura: The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has stepped up preparations to introduce regular electric train services between Tripura and Assam at the earliest, with trial runs of Electric MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) passenger trains currently underway on key routes across the region.
According to senior NFR officials, six to eight-coach electric MEMU trains are being operated on a trial basis connecting Agartala with Dharmanagar in North Tripura, Sabroom in South Tripura, and Karimganj in southern Assam. The trial services are aimed at assessing the performance of newly installed railway electrification infrastructure before the commencement of full-fledged operations.
Railway engineers are closely monitoring voltage levels in overhead electric lines and evaluating other technical parameters during the trials. Officials said that any shortcomings identified during the testing phase will be addressed before a final decision is taken on the regular operation of electric trains in the region.
Tripura Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath recently announced that the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) has successfully completed 100 percent electrification of the state’s 271-km railway network. He highlighted the state’s railway development journey, noting that the first train reached Dharmanagar in 1964, while Agartala was connected to the railway network in 2008. Rail connectivity was further extended to Sabroom in 2019.
The minister also pointed out that the broad-gauge conversion project in Tripura was completed after 2014, replacing the earlier metre-gauge tracks. Additionally, the Agartala-Akhaura international railway link connecting India and Bangladesh was completed in 2023, further strengthening regional connectivity.
The broad-gauge railway network stretching from Churaibari on the Tripura-Assam border to Sabroom near the India-Bangladesh border now covers 271 km. Nath said the expansion and development of the railway infrastructure were completed within seven years.
Meanwhile, under the Centre’s Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, redevelopment work is progressing at four major railway stations in Tripura — Agartala, Udaipur, Kumarghat and Dharmanagar. Currently, more than 19 trains operate from Tripura to various destinations across the country, reflecting the state’s growing rail connectivity and transportation infrastructure.
