PM to flag-off Vande Bharat sleeper train between Guwahati and Kolkata on Jan 17

Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag-off the first Vande Bharat sleeper train connecting Guwahati and Kolkata on January 17, West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said on Monday, adding that the move will significantly boost connectivity in the North Bengal region.

Addressing a press conference at the party's Salt Lake office here, Bhattacharya alleged that despite promises by the TMC government, the state's northern districts continued to suffer, with little improvement in infrastructure and connectivity even after administrative announcements from the state secretariat at Uttarkanya in North Bengal.

In contrast, he said, the Modi government since 2014 has pursued development across all states without discrimination, thereby strengthening India's federal structure.

Against this backdrop, Bhattacharya said West Bengal, particularly North Bengal, is set to receive a major boost early this year with the launch of the Vande Bharat sleeper service between Kolkata and Kamakhya from January 17.

Bhattacharya, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, said the PM would also flag off the Amrit Bharat Express from Malda to Kamakhya on January 17 and then address a public meeting the same day.

The new rail link, he said, would establish direct connectivity between South Bengal and key North Bengal towns such as Balurghat, Raiganj, Alipurduar and Malda, a long-standing demand of the region's residents.

Highlighting healthcare concerns, Bhattacharya said North Bengal's geographical constraints often force patients to undertake long and expensive journeys for treatment.

The new rail connectivity would significantly ease access to healthcare, employment and travel for ordinary and marginalised people, he added.