‘Will stage stir demanding stoppage of Vande Baharat at New Cooch Behar’

Cooch Behar/Siliguri: People of Cooch Behar voiced their displeasure that the Vande Bharat Express train from New Jalpaiguri to Guwahati is not going to stop at the New Cooch Behar station.

The third Vande Bharat Express train in the state is going to start its journey from New Jalpaiguri to Guwahati soon. A trial run of the train was completed on Sunday from the New Jalpaiguri railway station.

From leaders of the ruling party Trinamool Congress to the locals, demanded that the train should have a stoppage at the New Cooch Behar station.

Partha Pratim Roy, the former MP and spokesperson of Trinamool Congress said: “New Cooch Behar is an important railway station. All the important trains stop at the station. But there is no name of Cooch Behar in the notification released by the Railway department on the route of the train. The BJP leaders have repeatedly said in various places that the Vande Bharat Express train will stop at New Cooch Behar station. So, was it just a way to fool people? I will write to the Railway department regarding this. Besides, we will carry a party movement on this issue.” As per the notification released by the Railways, the train has stoppages at New Alipurduar, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Kamakhya, and Guwahati. The train will cross the New Cooch Behar railway station, but will not stop there.

Rajendra Kumar Bairagi, the secretary of the Cooch Behar District Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “We do not know why the Railway department did not give a stoppage here. We will write to the Prime Minister and the Railway minister about the matter. We will also stage a protest demonstration demanding a stoppage at the New Cooch Behar railway station.”

However, according to the Railway department sources, the notification is not finalised yet.

Meanwhile, a trial run of the train was completed from New Jalpaiguri railway station on Sunday. The trial run started at 6:10 am. The train will start its first journey with passengers on 25 May. Sanjay Chilwarwar, the ADRM said: “This is the second Vande Bharat train which will run from New Jalpaiguri railway station. It will help in boosting the tourism sector as well. Today’s trial run was a success. We are trying to maintain the scheduled time of the train.” The train will depart from NJP at 6:10 am and will reach Guwahati at 11:30 am.