NFR freight unloading rises 12.27% in October to 1,162 rakes

Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) unloaded 1,162 freight rakes across its zone in October 2026, up 12.27 per cent from 1,035 rakes in October last year, the railway said on Sunday, November 8.

NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said the higher unloading helped keep essential commodities and industrial goods flowing into the region, The Hawk reported.

State-wise break-up

Assam accounted for the largest share, with 647 rakes unloaded during the month. Tripura followed with 81 rakes, Manipur with 29, Nagaland with 17, Mizoram with 11 and Arunachal Pradesh with 10. One rake was unloaded in Meghalaya.

Within NFR's jurisdiction outside the North East, 205 rakes were unloaded in West Bengal and 161 in Bihar. Taken together, the North Eastern states received 796 of the 1,162 rakes, or a little over two-thirds of the total.

What was carried

The freight handled in October included food grains, edible oil, fertilisers, sugar, salt, petroleum products, coal and cement, delivered at goods sheds and freight terminals across the zone, according to the CPRO. These goods feed household consumption, farming needs and industry in the region.

The railway said the steady movement of such goods supports regional supply chains and trade. Sharma said NFR would continue to focus on efficient freight handling and timely delivery for consumers, traders and industries.

Why it matters

For most of the North East, rail is the cheapest way to bring in bulk goods such as food grains, fuel and construction material, and supply disruptions on road routes during landslides or blockades make the railway even more important. October also falls in the festive season, when demand for food and consumer goods rises.

The figures also show how uneven rail freight remains across the region. Assam, which has the densest rail network, took more than half of all rakes unloaded in the zone, while Meghalaya, whose only passenger station is Mendipathar in North Garo Hills, received a single rake.

NFR is headquartered at Maligaon in Guwahati and covers the North Eastern states along with seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of north Bihar.