Guwahati: Indian Railways has approved 202 additional train stoppages at 82 stations under the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), covering parts of Assam, West Bengal and Bihar, in a move aimed at improving passenger access and regional rail connectivity.
Officials said the newly sanctioned halts have been introduced on an experimental basis and are expected to come into effect shortly.
The decision is intended to address long-pending public demand, particularly from smaller towns and emerging locations that have limited access to long-distance and premium train services.
NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said the stoppages would be closely reviewed to assess passenger response and operational feasibility.
He noted that several premium and high-demand trains have been brought under the expanded stoppage plan, significantly strengthening rail services across North Bengal, Bihar and Assam.
Among the notable inclusions, the New Jalpaiguri–Guwahati–New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express will now halt at Rangiya, while the Anand Vihar–Agartala–Anand Vihar Rajdhani Express will stop at New Haflong and New Cooch Behar.
The Kolkata–Sairang–Kolkata Express has been provided halts at Katakhal, and the Guwahati–Sairang–Guwahati Express at Katlicherra.
Upper Assam passengers are also set to benefit, with the New Delhi–Dibrugarh–New Delhi Rajdhani Express scheduled to halt at Dhemaji, Sibsagar Town and Vishwanath Chariali, offering improved access to Rajdhani services.
In addition, several key mail and express trains, including Guwahati–Howrah, Dibrugarh–Howrah, Kamakhya–Puri, Silchar–Guwahati and Alipurduar–Delhi services, have been covered under the initiative.
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A wide range of stations across the NFR network have been selected for the experimental stoppages, spanning important locations such as Rangiya, Nalbari, Barpeta Road, Goalpara Town, Kokrajhar, New Alipurduar, New Mal Junction, Bagdogra, Sivok and Dalkhola, among others.
Railway officials said the additional halts are expected to reduce travel time to major junctions for passengers from semi-urban and rural areas, while also improving interchange opportunities with long-distance and premium trains.
The stoppages will be rolled out in a phased manner over the coming weeks.
Passengers have been advised to check revised train schedules through official railway enquiry platforms.
The NFR, headquartered at Maligaon near Guwahati, operates across the Northeastern states along with parts of West Bengal and north Bihar, and continues to focus on enhancing travel convenience in the region.
