PM Modi Virtually Flags Off Bengal’s 1st Vande Bharat Train

New-Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off the Vande Bharat express connecting Bengal’s Howrah and New Jalpaiguri in presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee via video-conferencing.

The programmes include the launch of key connectivity related projects and the meeting of the National Ganga Council.

It is the first Vande Bharat Express to operate in West Bengal. It will bring down travel time between Kolkata and Siliguri.

The state-of-the-art train will have 16 coaches, including two for drivers. There will also be two executive coaches while the rest will be normal chair cars. Each chair car will have 78 seats in two rows with the specially designed tables.

Officials said the train would depart from Howrah station at 6 am and reach New Jalpaiguri at 1.30 pm. After a one-hour stopover, the Vande Bharat Express will leave New Jalpaiguri around 2.30 pm and reach Kolkata at 10 pm.

The train will run six days a week under the provisional timetable of Eastern Railway.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister will also lay foundation stone and dedicate various development projects worth Rs 7,800 crore to the state.

“It is always special to be among the people of West Bengal. Tomorrow, 30th December is an important day for the growth trajectory of the state. Development works over Rs 7,800 crore would either be inaugurated or their foundation stones would be laid.” Modi had tweeted on Thursday.