Overview
- From Malda, the prime minister flagged off India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper between Howrah and Guwahati and virtually started the return service.
- The fully air-conditioned 16-coach train, designed for speeds up to 180 kmph, is expected to cut the Howrah–Guwahati journey by about 2.5 hours.
- He dedicated and laid foundation stones for projects exceeding ₹3,250 crore, including the Balurghat–Hili rail line, upgrades in Jalpaiguri and Siliguri, electrification in Cooch Behar, and four-laning of NH-31D’s Dhupguri–Falakata stretch.
- He also virtually flagged off four Amrit Bharat Express trains linking north Bengal with southern and western routes and introduced two new LHB coach services to Bengaluru.
- At a Malda rally, he attacked the TMC and vowed “big action” against infiltrators if the BJP wins power in West Bengal, while additional launches in Singur and the Kaziranga elevated corridor ground-breaking are scheduled on Sunday.