Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off Northeast India’s first Vande Bharat Express train connecting Assam’s Guwahati and West Bengal’s New Jalpaiguri via video conferencing on Monday. The state-of-the-art train will provide people of the region the means to travel with speed and comfort and enhance tourism in the area.
Speaking on the occasion, PM Modi said, “today is a big day for the rail connectivity of the entire North East including Assam. This Vande Bharat Express will make the life of the people living here easier and this will also give a boost to the tourism sector of the state.”
The Prime Minister noted that the last nine years have been of unprecedented achievements for India, in building of new India.
“After coming to power, our government gave the highest priority to the welfare of the poor. Infrastructure is for all, equally, without discrimination. That’s why this infrastructure construction is also true social justice in a way, true secularism,” he said.
“Three works related to the connectivity of North East are going on. North East is getting the first Made in India Vande Bharat. This is the third Vande Bharat connecting West Bengal and electrification work on about 425 km of track in Assam and Meghalaya has been completed,” he added.
By connecting Guwahati with New Jalpaiguri, the train will significantly reduce the duration of the journey, saving approximately one hour compared to the current fastest train between the two destinations. With a travel time of 5 hours and 30 minutes, Vande Bharat Express surpasses the current fastest train, which takes 6 hours and 30 minutes for the same route, the official statement by the Prime Minister’s Office said.
PM Inaugurates Electrified Railway Sections, DEMU Shed
The Prime Minister also inaugurated 182 kilometers of newly electrified railway sections, promoting eco-friendly transportation with faster train speeds and reduced travel time. This milestone not only facilitates cleaner and more efficient train operations but also paves the way for trains operating on electric traction to enter Meghalaya, the statement read.
The Prime Minister will also unveil a newly constructed DEMU/MEMU shed at Lumding. This state-of-the-art facility will play a crucial role in maintaining the DEMU rakes operating in the region, ensuring improved operational feasibility and efficiency.
Routes of Vande Bharat Express
The newly introduced Vande Bharat Express, operating six days a week, will travel from New Jalpaiguri to Guwahati, with halts at only four stations: New Alipurduar, Kokrajhar, New Bongaigaon, and Kamakhya, providing a fast and convenient mode of transportation for IT professionals, businessmen, students, and tourists in the region. Passengers can conveniently board and disembark at a total of six stops along this route, according to News18 reports.
With its high speed, it will be the fastest train in this sector, offering significant benefits to travelers.
From Wednesday to Monday, the train numbered 22227 will depart from New Jalpaiguri at 6:10 am, reaching Guwahati by 11:40 AM. On its return journey, train number 22228 will depart from Guwahati at 4:30 pm, making stops at Kamakhya, New Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, and New Alipurduar before reaching New Jalpaiguri at 10:20 pm.
On Tuesdays, the train will not be operational.
Speed of Vande Bharat Train
While the Vande Bharat Express will operate at a speed of 110 km/hr on this particular route, it demonstrated a capability to reach speeds of 180 km/hr during testing. Notably, on most routes, Vande Bharat trains maintain a speed of 110 km/hr.
There are already existing Vande Bharat trains in West Bengal, running between New Jalpaiguri and Howrah, as well as between Howrah and Puri in Odisha. These trains, known for their amenities and speed, have gained immense popularity among passengers, with nearly 100% occupancy rates on most routes.
Indian Railways has ambitious plans to introduce a total of 400 Vande Bharat Express trains across the country in the near future, while currently, there are 17 semi-high-speed trains in operation in India.
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