Guwahati, Apr 9 (IANS): Amid the lockdown, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) will start operating parcel express trains in northeast region from April 11 to ferry essential commodities, both government and private, to the northeastern states, officials said on Thursday.

NFR's Chief Public Relations Officer Subhanan Chanda said that to facilitate transport of essential commodities in small quantities, Indian Railways will run parcel trains from Guwahati to different destinations of Assam and other northeastern states.

"The first parcel express trains would start from Guwahati on April 11 and it would cover various places of Assam before reaching Tripura. The similar parcel express trains would operate on April 12 and April 13 to ensure transportation of essential goods for various states of the northeast," Chanda told IANS.

He said that the interested companies, traders, customers including government agencies and departments may avail the scope to cater to the people, consumers and people at large. The CPRO said that the Indian Railway has made railway parcel vans available for quick mass transportation across the country for the needy e-commerce companies and other customers including state governments.

More than 100 such parcel trains are planned to run with fixed running time till April 16. "Provision of parcel trains and rapid transportation of goods would further bolster the efficiency of supply chains during the lockdown period. This would help in movement of essential items including dairy products, medical equipments and medicines, groceries, edible oil, baby food fruits and other necessary items."

The NFR has also been operating freight trains in most of the northeastern states to maintain the availability of the essential commodities in the northeastern region.The NFR is also responsible for maintaining train services in seven districts of West Bengal and five districts in north Bihar, besides the hilly northeastern states.