Guwahati,  The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) as part of its Business Development Unit (BDU) initiatives from Saturday started operation of leased Parcel Cargo Express Train (PCET) from Assam to Goa carrying ready-made garments, tea, bamboo products and other handicrafts, spices, edible oil.

In another important step, the NFR also started operation of goods train from other states of India to Rani Gaidinliu station at Tamenglong in Manipur.

Officials said that the first goods train reached Rani Gaidinliu station carrying 53 wagons of ballast needed for the under construction Jiribam - Imphal (111 km) new railway line.

Rani Gaidinliu station is 24 km away from Jiribam (along Manipur-Assam border) by rail and is situated by the side of river Makru over which a giant rail bridge has been constructed.

More goods trains carrying other items including essential commodities will be arriving soon, providing a boost to the local economy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union DoNER (Development of North Eastern Region) Minister G. Kishan Reddy on Saturday expressed their confidence that the connectivity of the northeastern region would be further boosted.

Modi tweeted: "Transformation of the Northeast continues. Manipur's connectivity will be enhanced and commerce will be boosted. Wonderful products from the state can travel all over the nation."

"Historic day for Manipur and entire northeast, after 75 years of India's Independence, first goods train reaches Rani Gaidinliu Railway Station, Tamenglong in Manipur. The Narendra Modi govt is committed to enhancing infrastructure connectivity and economic prosperity in the NER," said Reddy in his tweet.

NFR Chief Public Relations Officer Guneet Kaur said that first leased Parcel Cargo Express Train (PCET) carrying food products, ready-made garments, tea, bamboo products and other handicrafts, spices, edible oil, mosquito repellants on Saturday started from Azara (Guwahati) in Assam to Vasco-da-Gama in Goa.

The cargo express train would reach its destination in 87 hours covering a distance of 3,358 kms between Azara and Vasco-da-Gama via Siliguri, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Hubli with loading and unloading facilities.

The train, which would operate on round trip basis, consists of 15 van parcels of 24 tonne capacity each and one brake van for the first six months and a total of 20 parcel vans thereafter up to next 6 years.

"This new route would not only strengthen the connectivity between the northeastern states with the South and Western states of India, but also act as a catalyst for business growth. It would act as an efficient and reliable time bound solution to the supply chain needs of eastern India. It will bring a boom to the industrial and agricultural sector across the eastern region," the CPRO said.