Malda/Howrah: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated India’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train, marking a significant step in the modernization of the country’s railway network. The high-speed sleeper service will operate between Howrah and Guwahati and is designed to be more advanced and luxurious than existing Vande Bharat chair car trains. With a top speed of 160–180 kmph, the train is expected to reach its destination faster than the Rajdhani Express.
The Prime Minister flagged off the train from Malda railway station in West Bengal. Addressing a large public gathering in the Malda North constituency, Modi urged voters to bring political change in the state, calling for a BJP government to accelerate development. Speaking in Bengali, he raised the slogan, “Paltano darkar, chai BJP sarkar” (Change is needed, we want a BJP government), setting the tone for the party’s election campaign.
The Vande Bharat Sleeper Train is equipped with modern facilities including automatic doors, bio-vacuum toilets, ergonomic berths, individual reading lights and charging points at each berth. The train also features the indigenous ‘Kavach’ anti-collision system, along with CCTV surveillance and advanced fire safety systems in all coaches.
Modi also virtually inaugurated the return Vande Bharat Sleeper service from Guwahati to Howrah and interacted with children and school students onboard. During his address, he launched a strong attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), alleging that corruption had replaced development in West Bengal.
#WATCH | Malda, West Bengal: PM Narendra Modi flags off India’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya)
(Source: DD) pic.twitter.com/lQkE5g6gCa
— ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2026
The Prime Minister cited alleged scams such as the Saradha chit fund case, ration distribution scam, coal smuggling, and irregularities in teacher recruitment, accusing TMC leaders of undermining the future of the youth and collecting “cut money” even for routine services. He also accused both the Congress and TMC of indulging in vote-bank politics.
Modi further alleged that the TMC government was protecting illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators, adversely affecting the rights of local citizens. He criticized the state government’s handling of women’s safety, referring to the Sandeshkhali incidents, and accused it of diverting central funds and blocking the implementation of welfare schemes such as Ayushman Bharat.
Emphasizing the need for a “double-engine government” at both the Centre and the state, Modi said every vote for the BJP would help build a developed India. Expressing confidence after seeing the large turnout at the Malda rally, he asserted that West Bengal was ready for change.