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News Topical, Digital Desk : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off India's first Vande Bharat sleeper train today (January 17, 2026) in Malda, West Bengal. The train will run between Howrah (Kolkata) and Guwahati (Kamakhya), making rail travel between eastern and northeastern India modern, comfortable, and fast. Assembly elections will be held in West Bengal and Assam later this year.
PM Modi will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate rail and road projects worth over ₹3,250 crore at a public ceremony in Malda. These include:
- Balurghat-Hili new railway line
- Next generation freight facilities at New Jalpaiguri
- Upgradation of Siliguri Loco Shed
- Modernization of Vande Bharat maintenance facilities at Jalpaiguri
- Electrification of New Cooch Behar-Bamanhat and New Cooch Behar-Boxirhat rail lines
Apart from this, PM Modi will virtually flag off four new Amrit Bharat Express trains.
- New Jalpaiguri-Nagercoil
- New Jalpaiguri-Tiruchirappalli
- Alipurduar-SMVT Bengaluru
- Alipurduar-Mumbai (Panvel)
On January 17, at around 6 pm, PM Modi will attend the traditional Bodo cultural event "Bagurumba Dwo 2026" at the Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati. The statement said it will be a historic cultural event celebrating the rich heritage of the Bodo community.
On this occasion, more than 10,000 artists from the Bodo community will come together to perform the Bagurumba dance. Artists from 81 assembly constituencies across 23 districts of the state will participate in the event.
Bagurumba is one of the folk dances of the Bodo community, deeply inspired by nature. This dance symbolizes blooming flowers and reflects the harmony between human life and the natural world.
On January 18, at around 11 am, PM Modi will perform the bhoomi pujan for the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor project costing over Rs 6,950 crore and flag off two new Amrit Bharat Express trains at Kaliabor in Nagaon district.
During the event, Prime Minister Modi will also flag off two new Amrit Bharat Express trains – the Guwahati (Kamakhya)-Rohtak Amrit Bharat Express and the Dibrugarh-Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) Amrit Bharat Express. These new train services will strengthen rail connectivity between Northeast and North India, enabling safer and more convenient travel for people.
Howrah to Guwahati in 14 hours
PM Modi will flag off the country's first Vande Bharat train from Malda Town in West Bengal on Saturday. The Vande Bharat Sleeper train has a maximum speed of 180 kmph and will cover the 958 km distance between Howrah in West Bengal and Guwahati (Kamakhya) in just 14 hours.
PM Modi will flag off the country's first "Vande Bharat Sleeper" train from Malda Town Railway Station today and dedicate it to the nation. This train is a testament to the changing face and modernity of Indian Railways.
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