Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to launch the first Vande Bharat Express of the northeast, connecting Guwahati and New Jalpaiguri, on April 14, news agency PTI reported citing a senior official on Friday.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has already begun planning for the grand opening of India's fastest train in this region.
"Yes, the Vande Bharat Express will be launched in the northeast soon. We plan to launch this special train on April 14, when the Prime Minister will be in Guwahati "On the condition of anonymity, the official was quoted as saying by PTI.
Modi is scheduled to visit Guwahati on April 14 to witness a Bihu performance by 11,140 dancers and drummers in their attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the "largest recital of the folk dance form."
During his visit to the state, he may also launch the new service, as per the report.
The NFR currently operates the Vande Bharat Express only between Howrah and New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal.
Northeast To Get First Vande Bharat Express:
On March 6, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the prestigious Vande Bharat Express will arrive in Rangpo, Sikkim, by December 2024.
The Vande Bharat Express has a commercial maximum speed of 160 km/h. During testing, the speed exceeded 180 km/h. Because most Indian tracks are incapable of supporting such high speeds, the train is limited to a top speed of 130 km/h.
According to the report, the new Guwahati-New Jalpaiguri train will have a maximum speed of 110 km/h.
"The speed of a train is determined by the rolling stock capacity, which is very high in Vande Bharat Express, as well as the track capacity," the report said.
Notably, both the Rajdhani Express and the Shatabdi Express run at a maximum speed of 110 km/h in the northeast, it added.
In a letter dated March 17, NFR Principal Chief Mechanical Engineer Jyotindra Digi requested that departments prepare various allied services to ensure the smooth operation of the Vande Bharat Express.
"...Vande Bharat Train set is likely to be inaugurated for service between GHY (Guwahati) and NJP (New Jalpaiguri) in the first week of April or no later than the second week of April 2023," he said in the letter, according to the report.
Digi requested that the mechanical department train personnel at the Guwahati and New Jalpaiguri coaching depots, procure maintenance spare parts, and prepare the onboard housekeeping service (OBHS) (most likely from Guwahati).
He also directed the electrical department to form a crew of trained personnel to operate the trains.
Earlier this month, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways expressed concern about the pace of Vande Bharat train production, stating that only eight rakes have been manufactured so far in 2022-23, compared to the target of 35 for the year.