Vande Bharat Express on Sealdah-New Jalpaiguri route soon: BJP MP

Siliguri: The railways will soon launch a Vande Bharat Express in West Bengal to connect Kolkata with Siliguri, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista said on Monday.

Speaking at a programme at the Siliguri Junction railway station, Bista said the train will connect the Sealdah station in Kolkata to the New Jalpaiguri station in the north Bengal city of Siliguri.

"People will be able to reach their destinations much faster when the Vande Bharat expressed is launched on the Sealdah-New Jalpaiguri route. It will begin a new chapter in the development of the region," the BJP MP said.

India launched its first semi high-speed train, the Vande Bharat Express, in 2019.

The train, developed by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, has an intelligent braking system, enabling better acceleration and deceleration.

All the coaches are equipped with automatic doors, a GPS-based audio-visual passenger information system, onboard Wi-Fi and comfortable seats. The executive class has rotating chairs.

Bista inaugurated a foot overbridge and a VIP lounge at the Siliguri Junction railway station.

Siliguri's BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh and senior railway officials were present at the programme.