Vande Bharat train will usher in development for north Bengal, say BJP leaders

The first Vande Bharat train in the east—in West Bengal—took a trial run between Howrah and New Jalpaiguri on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the train on Friday.

India’s 7th Vande Bharat train will be running six days a week between the two destinations, completing a to-and-fro journey during the same day between Howrah (adjoining Kolkata), and New Jalpaiguri in north Bengal which is an important connecting junction to the Northeastern states, and for the Darjeeling hills. The journey between the two stations will be covered in around seven and a half hours.

Senior leaders of the BJP in Bengal have expressed how the train is likely to bring about a change in the region.

In north Bengal’s districts, the BJP has had relatively better election results than the ruling Trinamool Congress in the recent past.

“My vision of driving our Darjeeling hills, Siliguri, Terai and Dooars, and North Bengal into a bold new era, takes a leap forward with this trial run of 'Vande Bharat' train being conducted at NJP today,” Raju Bista, BJP MP from Darjeeling tweeted on Monday.

“This train, which is expected to be inaugurated by H'PM Modi ji on the 30th of Dec, will ensure a faster & safer journey between our region & Kolkata. This train also marks the transformation of Indian Railways, (a)nd will help transport more tourists and passengers into our region,” he added.

Sukanta Majumdar, BJP’s MP and state president, however, sees the train as a ‘gift’ to people who have been ‘deprived’ by the state government. “Extremely thankful to Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji for gifting the people of North Bengal with Vande Bharat express (HWH-NJP). While the State Govt. keeps depriving the people of North Bengal, Modiji will flag off the train on 30th December 2022,” Majumdar had tweeted, late last week.

Dilip Ghosh, a national vice president, and MP of the party, has also expressed gratitude to the prime minister adding that there will be other Vande Bharat trains too. “Siliguri can be reached from Howrah in a very short time. Later it will go to Guwahati. Besides, Vande Bharat Express will run on Howrah-Ranchi, Howrah-Puri route,” Ghosh had mentioned on his Twitter handle.