Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched two new Amrit Bharat Express trains in Assam on Sunday, January 18. The launch is aimed at improving long-distance travel and connectivity for everyday passengers. The new trains are the Dibrugarh–Gomtinagar Amrit Bharat Express and the Kamakhya–Rohtak Amrit Bharat Express.
In addition to these, PM Modi will also flag off three more trains in West Bengal, bringing the total to five. These include the Kolkata (Howrah) – Anand Vihar Terminal, Kolkata (Sealdah) – Banaras and Kolkata (Santragachi) – Tambaram trains.
These launches are part of a larger plan to introduce nine new Amrit Bharat Express services to meet growing passenger demand and make long-distance travel more comfortable and affordable. Earlier, on Saturday, PM Modi had already flagged off four trains:
-Alipurduar – SMVT Bengaluru
-Alipurduar – Mumbai (Panvel)
-New Jalpaiguri – Nagercoil
-New Jalpaiguri – Tiruchirappalli
Kamakhya–Rohtak Amrit Bharat Express
This train will connect Kamakhya in Assam with Rohtak in Haryana, improving travel between the North-East and northern India.
-Train Numbers: 15671 (Kamakhya to Rohtak), 15672 (Rohtak to Kamakhya)
-Schedule: Leaves Kamakhya at 10 pm on Fridays, arrives in Rohtak at 2:45 pm on Sundays. Return journey departs Rohtak at 10:10 pm on Sundays, reaching Kamakhya at 12:15 pm on Tuesdays.
-Stations: Kamakhya, Katihar, Chhapra Gramin, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Chipyana Buzurg, Delhi, Rohtak
-Major Stops: Rangiya, Barpeta Road, New Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, New Cooch Behar, New Jalpaiguri, Katihar, Chhapra, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Delhi, Bahadurgarh
-Frequency: Weekly
-Coaches: 22
Dibrugarh–Gomtinagar Amrit Bharat Express
This train creates a direct link between the North-East and northern India.
-Train Numbers: 15949 (Dibrugarh to Gomtinagar), 15950 (Gomtinagar to Dibrugarh)
-Schedule: Departs Dibrugarh at 9 pm on Fridays, reaches Gomtinagar (Lucknow) at 1:30 pm on Sundays. Return leaves Gomtinagar at 1:40 pm on Tuesdays, arriving in Dibrugarh at 7:40 pm.
-Stations: Dibrugarh, Katihar Junction, Chhapra Gramin, Ayodhya Dham Junction, Malhour
Meanwhile, on Saturday, January 17, On Saturday, January 17, PM Modi flagged off the country’s first-ever Vande Bharat Sleeper train. During a ceremony held at Malda Town Railway Station in West Bengal, the Prime Minister inaugurated the service connecting Howrah (Kolkata) to Kamakhya (Guwahati), symbolically linking the land of Maa Kali to that of Maa Kamakhya.
This state-of-the-art sleeper version is designed for overnight travel, significantly reducing the journey time between the two cities by approximately 2.5 hours compared to existing trains.