PM Modi to flag off North East's first Vande Bharat Express in Guwahati tomorrow

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off North East's first Vande Bharat Express at 12 noon on Monday, May 29 via video-conferencing, as per a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

"The state-of-the-art train will provide the people of the region with the means to travel with speed and comfort. It will also boost tourism in the region," the statement read.

Compared to the present fastest train between Guwahati and New Jalpaiguri, the train will assist reduce travel time by around an hour. The current fastest train travels the route in roughly six-and-a-half hours; Vande Bharat will complete the journey in five-and-a-half hours.

Prime Minister Modi will also dedicate 182 route kilometres of newly-electrified sections. 

Trains will operate more quickly and for a shorter period of time, contributing to the provision of pollution-free transportation.

The prime minister will inaugurate a newly-constructed DEMU/MEMU shed at Assam's Lumding. This new facility will be helpful for maintaining the DEMU rakes operating in the region, leading to better operational feasibility.

The Indian Railways is currently running 34 services of the train, covering 21 states. It has set a target of running at least one service in seven more states by June.

Last Thursday, Modi flagged off Delhi-Dehradun Vande Bharat Express. The prime minister also inaugurated 100 per cent electrification of railway tracks in the state.

READ MORE: PM Modi flags off Delhi-Dehradun Vande Bharat Express