PM Modi flags of first Vande Bharat sleeper train

New Delhi, Jan 17: From Malda Town Railway Station, Prime Minister Modi flagged off the country’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper train between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya) and virtually flagged off the return service. Calling it a major step towards modernising Indian Railways, he said, “From today, Vande Bharat sleeper trains are being introduced in India. This train will make long journeys more comfortable and splendid.”

The Prime Minister said the new sleeper train showed “the vision of how trains in a developed India should be”. Recalling his interaction with passengers at Malda station, he said everyone described the journey as “an extraordinary experience”. “Earlier, people used to look at pictures of foreign trains and wish such trains existed in India. Today, that dream is being realised,” he said, adding that foreign tourists were now making videos on how Indian Railways was changing. Describing the train as a symbol of self-reliance, PM Modi said, “This Vande Bharat train is Made in India, built with the hard work and dedication of Indians.” He noted that the first sleeper service connects “the land of Maa Kali with the land of Maa Kamakhya” and said such modern trains would expand across the country. He congratulated Bengal, Assam, and the nation on the launch. More modern trains for Bengal PM Modi said Indian Railways was undergoing a major transformation through electrification and station modernisation. “Today, more than 150 Vande Bharat trains are running across the country, including in West Bengal,” he said. He also announced four new Amrit Bharat Express trains for the state—New Jalpaiguri–Nagercoil, New Jalpaiguri–Tiruchirappalli, Alipurduar–Bengaluru and Alipurduar–Mumbai (Panvel). These, he said, would improve connectivity between North Bengal and South and Western India and help pilgrims travelling to Gangasagar, Dakshineswar and Kalighat, as well as passengers going to Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.