Modi Virtually Inaugurates Howrah – New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express, Section of Kolkata Metro Project
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Dec 30: The prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday virtually flagged off West Bengal’s first Vande Bharat express connecting Howrah with New Jalpaiguri, the gateway to the Himalayas and Sikkim, in the presence of the chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
Modi, who was scheduled to be physically present for the event in Kolkata had to perform it through video conferencing as he had to rush to Ahmedabad early in the morning to perform the last rites of his centenarian mother who passed away in the wee hours in a hospital in Ahmedabad.
The Prime Minister said the launch of Vande Bharat on December 30 was significant as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had hoisted the tricolour in Andamans on the same day in 1943. Mr. Modi also dedicated 25 new projects in West Bengal under Namami Ganga Project. One of the key projects is the restoration of the Adi Ganga River. He also inaugurated Joka-taratala section of the Kolkata Metro project.
The inaugural ceremony was marked by high drama as Banerjee refused to move to the dais and preferred to sit in a chair among the audience irked by chanting of “Jai Shri Ram” slogans by some BJP workers at the Howrah station venue.
In a virtual rerun of the Victoria Memorial incident just prior to the state Assembly elections in 2021, Banerjee was greeted with “Jai Shri Ram” slogans as she reached the Howrah station platform. Even as the incident left Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and other BJP leaders present at the event embarrassed, Banerjee marked her protest by refusing to step onto the dais and sat on a chair beside the dais, along with other government officials.
Some senior BJP leaders, the railway minister, and others were seen trying to convince the BJP workers not to shout slogans as it was a government programme and not a political one, but to no avail. As Sloganeering continued, Banerjee refused to come on the stage and resumed her seat in the audience.
When Modi appeared on the giant screen to flag off the train, Banerjee regained her composure. Speaking at the event, she offered her condolences to Modi. “Today is a sad day for you personally. It is a great loss of your personal life. May God give you strength and bless you so that you can bear the loss of your mother…I convey my gratitude to you for being present here virtually as you could not come because of the sad demise of your mother. Please take rest and take care,” Banerjee said.
Besides Vaishnaw, Governor C V Ananda Bose, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Suvendu Adhikari and Union ministers Nisith Pramanik and John Barla were present at the event.
Speaking on the occasion, Modi said the centre was making record investments in the modernization of Indian Railways and in times to come the country’s railway will emerge in a new avatar. “In the 21st century, the Government is making massive infrastructure in Indian Railways. Trains like Vande Bharat and Tejas are being made in the country. Railway stations are being modernized like Airports, New Jalpaiguri Station is also being developed on those lines. In the past eight years, Indian Railways have worked on the theme of modernization. In the past eight years, we have extended Metro Services to two dozen cities. Joka BBD Metro is a step in that direction,” Modi added.
He further said the PM Gati Shakti initiative was trying to connect and bring synergy in different modes of transportation in the country. Vaishnaw said projects worth ₹7600 crore were dedicated to the people of West Bengal by the Prime Minister. Speaking about utilizing waterways in the country Mr. Modi said 100 waterways are being developed.
“We are working in the direction that modern cruise operates in our rivers alongside trade and tourism,” the PM said. Mr. Modi said the Centre is working on establishing a waterway link between Ganga and Brahmaputra Rivers with the support of the Government of Bangladesh, and a 3200 km cruise from Varanasi to Dibrugarh via Bangladesh will start on January 13, 2023.
The blue-and-white Vande Bharat train, which covers a distance of 564 km in 7.45 hours, will save three hours of travel time compared to other trains on the route, officials said. It will have three stoppages at Barsoi, Malda and Bolpur.
The Vande Bharat express with modern passenger amenities is likely to be preferred both by regular passengers, tea industry executives and tourists travelling to the Himalayas in North Bengal and Sikkim. The state-of-the-art train has 16 coaches.
