Malda, Jan 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flagged off India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya) from Malda Town station in north Bengal. He also virtually flagged off the return Guwahati–Howrah service.
Developed to meet modern transportation needs, the fully air-conditioned sleeper train aims to provide passengers an “airline-like travel experience at economical fares,” according to a PMO statement. The train will make long-distance journeys faster, safer, and more convenient. Travel time on the Howrah–Guwahati route is expected to reduce by around 2.5 hours, boosting religious tourism and overall connectivity.
During the journey, Modi interacted with children and school students aboard the train. Later, at a public programme in Malda, he dedicated multiple rail and road infrastructure projects worth ₹3,250 crore to the nation and laid foundation stones for new initiatives aimed at strengthening connectivity in Bengal and the North East.
On a two-day visit to eastern India, Modi is set to travel across poll-bound West Bengal and Assam, combining political outreach with infrastructure launches as the 2026 assembly elections approach. (Agencies)
