Overview
- Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to flag off the service in the next 15–20 days, likely around January 18–19, with the exact date to follow.
- The train will operate at 120–130 km/h on the corridor despite a 180 km/h design speed, connecting key districts in Assam and West Bengal.
- Coach mix and capacity are 11 three-tier AC, four two-tier AC, and one first AC coach for 823 berths (611 in 3AC, 188 in 2AC, 24 in 1AC).
- Indicative end-to-end fares are about ₹2,300 (3AC), ₹3,000 (2AC), and ₹3,600 (1AC), inclusive of food, with regional menus planned from Guwahati and Kolkata.
- Following certification, Indian Railways targets about 12 sleeper rakes this year and a rapid ramp-up thereafter, with BEML building the coaches at an estimated ₹8–8.5 crore per coach and features including Kavach, CCTV, fire suppression, emergency talk-back, improved suspension, and disinfectant systems.