Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Assam on March 13 (today). During his two-day state visit, the PM will inaugurate three new trains to improve connectivity and infrastructure in Northeast India.
These trains include the Kamakhya–Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express, which will provide direct rail connectivity between the North-East and southern India, and the Guwahati–New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express, which will strengthen rail links between Assam and West Bengal. The third train to be inaugurated is the Narangi–Agartala Express. It is expected to improve connectivity between Assam and Tripura and make inter-state travel easier for passengers, traders, and tourists.
The Prime Minister will also launch and dedicate several development projects worth more than Rs 47,600 crore across Kokrajhar, Guwahati and Silchar.
Guwahati–New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express
-Guwahati–New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express will provide a major boost to travel between the Northeast and North Bengal. It is expected to make journeys faster and more comfortable for students, business travellers and tourists who frequently travel on this route.
-Route: It connects Guwahati in Assam with New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal.
Key stations: Kamakhya, Rangiya, New Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Gossaigaon Hat, New Alipurduar and New Coochbehar.
-Impact: The service will strengthen connectivity between Assam’s key economic centres and the tourism hubs of Siliguri and Darjeeling, helping boost both trade and tourism.
Narangi–Agartala Express
-This train has been introduced to improve connectivity within the Northeast region. It will offer a direct rail link between Tripura’s capital Agartala and Narangi near Guwahati.
-Route: Narangi in Assam to Agartala in Tripura.
-Key stations: Guwahati, Lumding, Badarpur and Ambassa.
-Impact: The train is expected to make travel easier through the hilly areas of the Dima Hasao region and will benefit passengers as well as traders travelling between Tripura and other parts of the country.
Kamakhya–Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express
Kamakhya–Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express is a modern long-distance train that uses push-pull technology. It is designed to provide faster travel and better facilities at affordable fares.
Route: Kamakhya in Guwahati to Charlapalli near Hyderabad in Telangana.
Key stations: New Jalpaiguri, Malda Town, Kharagpur, Bhubaneswar and Vijayawada.
Impact: The train will benefit a large number of students and professionals from the Northeast who live and work in South India, giving them a quicker and more comfortable travel option than traditional express trains.
PM Modi will also dedicate several major railway electrification projects to the nation. These include the Rangiya–Murkongselek rail line electrification (558 km), built at a cost of around Rs 420 crore, and the Chaparmukh–Dibrugarh rail line electrification (571 km), developed at an estimated cost of about Rs 1,180 crore. Electrification of the Badarpur–Silchar and Badarpur–Churaibari rail lines, constructed at a cost of nearly Rs 650 crore, will also be inaugurated.
These projects are expected to support faster and more energy-efficient train operations while promoting environmentally sustainable rail transport. They will also help strengthen connectivity across the Brahmaputra and Barak Valley regions.