On Saturday (17th January), Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train from Malda station in West Bengal. The train will ply between Howrah and Guwahati.
He also virtually flagged off the return Guwahati-Howrah Vande Bharat sleeper train from Malda. The new train will make the long-distance journey safe, convenient and will provide an airline-like travel experience at an economical fare.
Delighted to flag off India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train from Malda. Several Amrit Bharat train services are also being introduced to boost connectivity.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 17, 2026
https://t.co/rh7OaIeTvR
The superfast train will reduce travel time between Howrah and Guwahati by around 2.5 hours and will boost religious travel and tourism.
Later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of multiple rail and road infrastructure projects totalling ₹3250 crores. These projects are designed to accelerate development and strengthen connectivity in North East India and West Bengal.
The visit of PM Modi comes months before the crucial Vidhan Sabha election in West Bengal and Assam.
