By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 3: While any sort of railway continues to be opposed in the Khasi Hills region, the railway line in Mendipathar continues to bring significant benefits for the people and the region as a whole.
According to the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) on Saturday, the first-ever full freight rake loading was carried out in Meghalaya, with wagons transporting coal.
The coal loading operation commenced from Mendipathar to Jalalgarh, with a full rake comprising 42 body-covered wagons loaded within 8 hours and 30 minutes.
Chief Public Relations Officer of North East Frontier Railways, Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, said that Mendipathar, being the one and only station in the state of Meghalaya, marked its presence on the railway freight map with its first freight unloading on February 4 last year.
“Since then, freight unloading operations at the station have shown steady growth, with a total of 29 mini rakes and six full rakes, equivalent to 20.5 full rakes, unloaded between February and December 2025,” Sharma said.
He informed that the commencement of freight loading signifies the operational preparedness of Mendipathar Railway Station to handle large-scale freight traffic in a comprehensive manner.
“Freight loading and unloading operations at Mendipathar are 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,” he said.
