Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off Assam's first Vande Bharat Express at 12 noon on Monday via video-conferencing, according to a statement issued by the the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

The state-of-the-art train will provide the people of the region the means to travel with speed and comfort. It will also boost tourism in the region, the statement said.

Connecting Guwahati with New Jalpaiguri, the train will help save about an hour of journey time, compared to the current fastest train connecting the two places. Vande Bharat will cover the journey in five-and-a-half hours, while the current fastest train takes about six-and-a-half hours to cover the distance.

Modi will also dedicate 182 route kilometres of newly-electrified sections. This will help provide pollution-free transportation with trains running at a higher speed and reduced running time. It will also open the doors for trains running on electric traction to enter Meghalaya.

The prime minister will inaugurate a newly-constructed DEMU/MEMU shed at Assam's Lumding. This new facility will be helpful for maintaining the DEMU rakes operating in the region, leading to better operational feasibility.

The Indian Railways is currently running 34 services of the train, covering 21 states. It has set a target of running at least one service in seven more states by June.

-With PTI Input