Agartala, Jun 15: The diesel era on Tripura's railways is inching toward its end. A new 12-coach electric MEMU train, freshly built by the Rail Coach Factory (RCF) in Kapurthala, reached Agartala this weekend as the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) launched scheduled trial runs on June 13 and 14 across the Agartala-Sabroom and Agartala-Badarpur routes, signalling the state's transition to cleaner, faster rail travel.
Notably, this is the first-ever MEMU rake to arrive under the Northeast Frontier Railway, making it a historic moment not just for Tripura but for the entire Northeast. Reportedly, the rake had been in transit since mid-May and finally reached Tripura on June 14. The route for the first regular MEMU service, however, has not yet been officially announced by the railways.The arrival addresses one of the most consistent demands from passengers and rail observers since electrification spread across NFR routes. According to railway sources, the MEMU is likely to replace an existing DEMU service that currently operates on a single dedicated rake.
It is learned that the latest generation MEMU rakes from RCF come equipped with GPS-enabled passenger information displays, energy-efficient LED lighting, and a top speed of 110 kmph, promising faster acceleration and a considerably smoother commuting experience than diesel alternatives. Meanwhile, the electrification groundwork was executed by TSECL through a Rs 46-crore project, with traction substations operational in Unakoti, Khowai, and Gomati districts. With the rake now stationed in Agartala, Northeast India's commuter rail landscape is entering a new era.
