To flag off first Vande Bharat Express for Eastern India.
Guwahati, December 29 (MExN): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of proposed redevelopment of New Jalpaiguri (NJP) Railway station as a “station with world class facilities” on December 30.
In addition, he will also dedicate the stretch of 88.17 km long Ambari Falakata – New Maynaguri and New Maynaguri – Gumanihat Double Line project to the nation on Friday.
An offical release from the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) informed that the NJP will be set up as the first international train terminal of the country with world class including terminal for the UNESCO world heritage Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.
The station is being designed to have ultra-modern amenities like spacious roof plaza, concourse with all passenger amenities at one place along with provisions for retail, cafeterias, and recreational facilities, it said.
The overall built-up area of the station will be about 37,040 sq m and the approximate estimated cost of the entire work for redevelopment of the NJP station is at around Rs 337.42 crore, it said.
The expected time frame for the completion of the project is 30 months, it informed, adding that it would further help in boosting various sectors of local economy including travel, tourism etc in North Bengal as well as Sikkim.
Meanwhile, the Ambari Falakata-Gumanihat Double Line project covering a length of 88.17 km is spreadover Coochbehar & Jalpaiguri districts of West Bengal and has been completed at an estimated cost of Rs 1461 crore, the release said.
There are 24 major bridges, 5 Road Over Bridges and 11 stations in the section.
The doubling line will speed up train operations and augment train handling capacity towards NE region which will bring overall economic development of the region due to faster movement, it said.
The NFR further informed that new Vande Bharat Express train between Howrah to NJP will also to be flagged off by PM Modi on December 30 from Howrah station.
The Howrah - NJP service be the first Vande Bharat Express for West Bengal as well as Eastern India, the release added.
