29th May 2023, Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday virtually flagged off Northeast’s first and India’s 18th Vande Bharat Express connecting Guwahati to West Bengal’s New Jalpaiguri.
Along with the semi-high speed train, PM Modi also dedicated New Bongaigaon–Dudhnoi–Mendipather and Guwahati–Chaparmukh electrified sections to the nation. He also inaugurated the new DEMU/MEMU (workshop for trains) shed at Lumding.
Guwahati-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express:
Assam’s first and Bengal’s third semi-high speed train would connect Guwahati and New Jalpaiguri and would cover the distance of 411 km in five hours and thirty minutes. It will operate six days a week except Tuesday.
Ahead of launch, Railway minister Ashiwini Vaishnaw said that the centre works on the policy of ‘Act East.’
“It is a matter of happiness that PM Modi will flag off the Northeast’s first Vande Bharat Express today. Earlier it was ‘Look East’ but now its ‘Act East’,” he told news agency ANI.
The Executive chair car of Vande Bharat Express have a seating capacity of 52 each, normal Chair cars have a seating capacity of 78 each and the driving trailer coaches have a seating capacity of 44 each.
With the Vande Bharat train, it discovers the new age rail travel with airlines like travel feelings for people of the northeast who will able to feel the comfort and speed during the journey, a government official said.
Last week, the Northeast Railways tweeted, “Vande Bharat Express the symbol of rail travel with Speed and latest amenities reached Guwahati railway station, the Gateway of the Northeast for the first time during a trial run conducted today from New Jalpaiguri.”