Guwahati, Jan 3 (IANS) The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has achieved a significant milestone in freight operations with the successful completion of the first-ever loading of a full freight rake at Mendipathar railway station in Meghalaya, officials said on Saturday.

NFR's Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said that the coal loading operation commenced on December 28 from Mendipathar to Jalalgarh (in Purnia district of Bihar), as a full rake consisting of 42 body covered wagons was loaded within eight hours and 30 minutes, demonstrating efficient planning, coordinated teamwork and operational readiness of railway staff.

This landmark achievement marks the first ever railway freight loadings for the state of Meghalaya, CPRO Sharma added.

He said that Mendipathar being one and the only station in Meghalaya, marked its existence in the railway freight map with the first freight unloading on February 4 last year.

Since then, freight unloading operations at the station (Mendipathar) have shown steady growth, with a total of 29 mini-rakes and 6 full rakes, equivalent to 20.5 full rakes, unloaded between February and December 2025.

"With commencement of freight loading, it will signify the operational preparedness of Mendipathar station to handle large-scale freight traffic in a complete manner," CPRO Sharma added.

Freight loading and unloading operations at Mendipathar is expected to provide a major boost to the local economy of Meghalaya by facilitating the outward and inward movement of goods in an easy, reliable, and economical manner, particularly for hilly and otherwise not easily accessible areas.

These operations will support regional industries, improve market access for commodities originating in the region, and enable cost-effective transportation of essential goods, the CPRO said.

The NFR, headquartered at Maligaon near Guwahati, operates across the Northeastern states as well as in seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of Bihar.

--IANS

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