Siliguri, Oct. 26: The Katihar-New Jalpaiguri-Guwahati route, the apex track of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), is likely to be electrified in the next few years.

“We have been seeking the electrification of the route, especially when not an inch of the tracks in the NFR is electrified, in keeping with the modernisation of the railway operating system,” said Basudev Acharia, the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of the Railways. He was here on a visit today.

Acharia welcomed the ongoing survey for electrification of the route and expected the change to take place within the next few years.

The MP from Bankura visited Siliguri Junction station, where a platform for Darjeeling Himalayan Railway has been built. “Post electrification, the Mainline Electric Multiple Unit train service across north Bengal and Assam could be introduced to better the railway network.” The number of long distance trains would also be increased, he added.