'Spellbound': Himanta Biswa Sarma Praises Northeast's First Vande Bharat Express - Watch Video

The newly flagged off Vande Bharat Express will cut short the travel time between Guwahati in Assam and New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal by at least an hour.

Image: Twitter

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma praised the technology on the Vande Bharat Express as Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Northeast's first semi-high speed train. The train, flagged off on Monday, will connect Guwahati in Assam and New Jalpaiguri station in West Bengal. As per CM, the train run by the Indian Railways will prove beneficial for the development of tourism in the state and the northeastern region. In a video posted by Sarma, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw briefs the Chief Minister about the technology used in the Vande Bharat Express. 

Praising the same, Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "I am spellbound after I have learnt about the cutting edge technology being deployed in Vande Bharat trains. My compliments to Shri @AshwiniVaishnaw ji’s teaching skills, explaining technological marvels with such great ease!" The newly flagged off Vande Bharat train will cut short the travel time between Guwahati and New Jalpaiguri by at least an hour.

I am spellbound after I have learnt about the cutting edge technology being deployed in Vande Bharat trains.

My compliments to Shri @AshwiniVaishnaw ji’s teaching skills, explaining technological marvels with such great ease! pic.twitter.com/i6qgqxL1r5 — Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) May 29, 2023

The 18th Vande Bharat Express, which became operational on Monday, is expected to cater growing passengers on the route as a lot of people travel regularly between these stations. Chief Minister said: "The semi high speed train will further strengthen the connection between Assam and Bengal. We are very happy. Tourists can travel to the state with further ease and it will boost our tourism sector. The other states of northeast will also get benefits from this newly launched train service."

Also in a series of tweets, Sarma had said this was a "turning point in efforts to modernise northeast's rail network since 2014 -- from high speed train connectivity to 400 per cent increase in railway expenditure".

While virtually flagging off the train, Prime Minister Modi said: "Vande Bharat will provide connectivity to Maa Kamakhya Temple, Kaziranga, Manas National Park, and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. Furthermore, it will enhance travel and tourism in Shillong, Cherrapunji in Meghalaya and Tawang and Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh."

A large crowd had gathered in the Guwahati railway station to witness the inaugural run of the semi high-speed train which will begin its regular run from Wednesday onwards.