Overview
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the maiden Vande Bharat sleeper from Malda for the Howrah–Guwahati (Kamakhya) corridor.
- The fully air-conditioned service is expected to reduce the journey by about 2.5 hours on a route that currently takes nearly 18 hours.
- The launch was paired with rail and road projects in West Bengal worth Rs 3,250 crore, alongside four new Amrit Bharat Express trains.
- The Railway Ministry outlined plans to operate about 800 Vande Bharat trainsets by 2030 and to scale to roughly 4,500 by 2047, subject to infrastructure and manufacturing capacity.
- Officials note 164 Vande Bharat services had been operationalised across 274 districts carrying over 7.5 crore passengers, with trainsets designed in India for speeds up to 160 kmph.