New sleeper service cuts Howrah–Guwahati travel time by 2.5 hours as PM dedicates ₹3,250 crore rail and road projects in West Bengal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off India’s first fully air-conditioned Vande Bharat Sleeper Train between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya) from Malda Town Railway Station, marking a major leap in long-distance rail travel in the country.

The Prime Minister personally flagged off the inaugural service from Malda, while the return service from Guwahati (Kamakhya) to Howrah was flagged off virtually. Designed to offer an airline-like travel experience at affordable fares, the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train is expected to reduce travel time on the Howrah–Guwahati route by nearly 2.5 hours, making journeys faster, safer, and more comfortable.

The new service is set to significantly benefit religious tourism, particularly for devotees visiting the Kamakhya Temple, while also providing a modern travel option for students, professionals, migrant workers, and business travellers across eastern and north-eastern India.

Following the flag-off at around 12:45 PM, the Prime Minister addressed a public gathering in Malda at approximately 1:45 PM, where he dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone for multiple rail and road infrastructure projects worth over ₹3,250 crore. These projects aim to enhance connectivity, improve logistics efficiency, create employment opportunities, and accelerate economic growth in West Bengal and the North-Eastern region.

Key Highlights of the Malda Programme

• Foundation stone laid for four major railway projects, including:
  • A new rail line between Balurghat and Hili
  • Next-generation freight maintenance facilities at New Jalpaiguri
  • Upgradation of the Siliguri Loco Shed
  • Modernisation of Vande Bharat maintenance facilities in Jalpaiguri district
• Dedication of rail electrification of the New Coochbehar–Bamanhat and New Coochbehar–Boxirhat sections, enabling faster, cleaner, and energy-efficient train operations.
• Virtual flag-off of four Amrit Bharat Express trains connecting:
  • New Jalpaiguri–Nagercoil
  • New Jalpaiguri–Tiruchirappalli
  • Alipurduar–SMVT Bengaluru
  • Alipurduar–Mumbai (Panvel)
• Flag-off of two LHB-coach trains — Radhikapur–SMVT Bengaluru Express and Balurghat–SMVT Bengaluru Express — providing direct connectivity to major IT and employment hubs like Bengaluru.
• Foundation stone laid for the rehabilitation and four-laning of the Dhupguri–Falakata section of NH-31D, strengthening road connectivity in North Bengal.

Projects in Singur on January 18

On January 18, the Prime Minister will visit Singur in Hooghly district, where he will inaugurate, lay foundation stones for, and flag off development projects worth over ₹830 crore.

Key initiatives include:

• The Extended Port Gate System at Balagarh, featuring an Inland Water Transport terminal, Road Over Bridge, and cargo handling facilities with a capacity of up to 2.7 MTPA.
• Launch of a state-of-the-art electric catamaran to promote eco-friendly river transport along the Hooghly.
• Inauguration of the Jayrambati–Barogopinathpur–Maynapur new rail line, part of the Tarkeshwar–Bishnupur railway project, along with the flag-off of a new train service on this route.
• Flag-off of three additional Amrit Bharat Express trains connecting:
  • Kolkata (Howrah)–Anand Vihar Terminal
  • Kolkata (Sealdah)–Banaras
  • Kolkata (Santragachi)–Tambaram

These initiatives underline the government’s focus on modern infrastructure, multimodal connectivity, reduced congestion, lower emissions, and job creation, benefitting local communities, MSMEs, farmers, and businesses.

The launch of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train, along with the extensive infrastructure push, is being hailed as a game-changer for connectivity between West Bengal, the North-East, and the rest of the country, supporting tourism, education, trade, and economic development.