KOLKATA, West Bengal: Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi flagged off the Vande Bharat Express from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri virtually. In the virtual address, he said that the railway stations are being developed on the lines of airports.
He also mentioned that “Today’s Vande Bharat Train was launched from the land where ‘Vande Mataram’ slogan was coined.”
He added, “The launch date of December 30 is significant as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had hoisted the tricolor in Andaman and Nicobar Islands on this day in 1943.”
The Vande Bharat Express has 16 coaches and will start its journey from Howrah Station to New Jalpaiguri, covering 564 km in 7 hours and 45 minutes. It will stop at three stations, namely, Barsoi, Malda, and Bolpur, and will save three hours of travel time compared to other trains.
On the issue of water pollution, he mentioned that the Centre was laying stress on preventing pollution in the river and that West Bengal will have 25 new sewage treatment projects, 11 of which have already been completed.
Governor of West Bengal Dr C V Ananda Bose and Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Government of India, were also present on the occasion.