PM Modi flags off 11 new trains including Vande Bharat Sleeper, Boosting rail connectivity between Assam and West Bengal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate 11 new trains, including India’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper, boosting overnight rail connectivity between Assam and West Bengal with modern amenities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate 11 trains across east India tomorrow, January 17. Among them will be India’s first-ever Vande Bharat Sleeper Express that will commence operations between Guwahati, Assam and Howrah in West Bengal.

Train services between Northeast India and major destinations in West Bengal just became faster, safer and more comfortable.

“Speeding Through The Night”

The semi-high speed trainset had earlier been launched on daytime corridors. Unlike the regular services, the sleeper variant promises to make overnight train journeys modern and comfortable.

Here are some other details about the train which will ply on nearly 968 kilometres from Howrah Junction to Kamakhya Junction:

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There are a total of 16 fully air-conditioned coaches: 11 three-tier sleeper coaches, four two-tier sleeper coaches and one first-class air-conditioned coach.
Passengers: Seats are available for 823 passengers.
Facilities: The sleeper express features automatic doors, anti-collision Kavach system, ergonomic interiors and CCTV cameras for passenger safety.

Regional Cuisine Onboard Too!

The inaugural push granted by the PM will make it the perfect travel companion for families, business travellers and tourists. In addition to modern facilities and amenities, passengers travelling on the Vande Bharat Sleeper will also enjoy regional cuisine onboard.

Depending on where your journey begins from – either Guwahati or Howrah – travellers can expect authentic Assamese and Bengali cuisines respectively.

Political Leaders Welcome ‘Revolutionary’ Leap in Rail Infrastructure

Regional dishes aside, Union Minister MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh called the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express “revolutionary”.

“This will revolutionize rail travel across India,” Singh tweeted.

Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma also congratulated PM Modi and thanked him for adding a “major boost” to connectivity within the state and with the rest of the country. “This gesture will take east India much closer to the Centre’s mission of seamless connectivity of railways with all states,” Sarma tweeted. The remaining 10 trains that PM Modi will inaugurate tomorrow are Amrit Bharat Express services which are set to connect rail networks for passengers with modest budgets.

Ready for your Sleeper Journey?

PM Modi will flag off the sleeper express trainset next week on January 17. Until then, travellers can check bookings and plan ahead for their journeys across Assam and West Bengal.