PM Modi To Inaugurate India's First Vande Bharat Sleeper Train In Bengal
The Prime Minister is also expected to travel on the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express from Malda Town to New Farakka Junction.
Published : January 10, 2026 at 10:18 PM IST
Malda: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Malda on January 17. He will inaugurate the country’s first Vande Bharat Sleeper Express, which will operate between Howrah and Guwahati. The inauguration will take place at Malda Town railway station, which has been decorated in anticipation of the Prime Minister’s arrival.
Apart from flagging off the new train, the Prime Minister is also expected to travel on the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express from Malda Town to New Farakka Junction. Several students from the district may accompany him during the journey. The process of selecting these students has already begun, though the final schedule of the Prime Minister’s visit is yet to be officially communicated.
Manish Kumar Gupta, Divisional Railway Manager of Eastern Railway’s Malda Division, said that while the Prime Minister’s visit on January 17 has been confirmed, the detailed itinerary has not yet been received. “We expect the schedule to reach us within a day or two. Until then, it cannot be confirmed whether the Prime Minister will travel on the train or whether students will accompany him. Preparations are underway at full pace to welcome the Prime Minister,” he said.
According to railway sources, Prime Minister Modi will arrive in Malda by helicopter and land at Lakshman Sen Stadium, where a temporary helipad is currently under construction. From there, he will proceed by road to Malda Town railway station. Roads leading to the station are being renovated, and refurbishment work is also underway inside the station premises.
Malda Town station, which is being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Project, has already seen significant progress. Efforts are being made to complete the remaining work before the Prime Minister’s visit. Railway officials are conducting inspections in phases to ensure timely completion.
Although no formal announcement has been made regarding student participation, railways have shortlisted 18 schools in Malda town to select students for the proposed train journey. The schools organised drawing, essay and short speech competitions on themes such as Developed India, Developed Bengal, Next-Gen Train, and Self-Reliant India. The drawing competition has been completed, and winning entries have been submitted to railway authorities. Essay entries have also been collected, while final selections will be made after reviewing video recordings of the short speeches.
Ajaykrishna Roy, headmaster of Akrurmani Coronation School, said the school has submitted drawings and essays of the top three winners to the railway authorities and will soon hand over the video clips of the short speech competition.
Read More:
