Silchar -Guwahati, Silchar-Agartala passenger to be converted as express trains; to have less stoppages

Silchar-Guwahati passenger, Silchar-Agartala passenger train would be converted into express trains, along with 8 other passenger trains run by the Northeast Frontier railway. The service will be available only after the resumption of normal train service.

The Railway Ministry has recently decided to convert as many as 502 passenger trains that run beyond 200 km into express trains by speeding them up and curtailing halts.

Accordingly, Northeast Frontier railway selected 10 trains that would be converted to express which includes Silchar Guwahati fast passenger, Silchar Agartala passenger, Rangiya Murkongselek passenger, New Jalpaiguri Rangiya passenger among others.

“Railway board vide letter under reference has approved the conversion of the mentioned passenger trains to express trains either by speeding up or by curtailing halts if required,” mentioned an internal message of NFR.

Accordingly 55615/6 Silchar-Guwahati fast Passenger has been proposed to be converted to 15615/6 Silchar-Guwahati Express by curtailing 4 stoppages viz- Arunachal, Salchapra, Katakhal, and Panchgram.

55663/4 Silchar-Agartala passenger train proposed to be converted to 15663/4 Silchar-Agartala Express after curtailing 16 stoppages- Arunachal, Salchapra, Pachgram and rest from Tripura state.

Conversion of the trains to express may also lead to an increase in fares, though it is not clear yet by how much, as the trains are not in run owing to Corona pandemic lockdown. Moreover, these passenger trains stop at smaller stations and cater to a large number of people from several smaller villages around them. Withdrawing these stoppages may also draw flak from citizens.