Minister of state for railways Rajen Gohain flagged off a weekly express train between Silghat in Nagaon district and Calcutta at 1.30pm on Tuesday.

Kaliabor MLA and minister Keshab Mahanta was also present on the occasion.

Gohain thanked the Northeast Frontier Railway for introducing the new train on the first day of 2019.

NF Railways sources said the new train would help in developing trade and commerce in the central Assam areas apart from improving the communication with the rest of the country.

The new train has 19 new model Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches that have been developed by Linke-Hofmann-Busch of Germany.

Train number 13182 Silghat-Kolkata Express will leave Silghat at 12.30pm every Tuesday and reach Calcutta at 12.50pm the following day. During its return journey, train number 13181 Kolkata-Silghat Express will leave Calcutta at 9.05am on Monday and arrive in Silghat at 9.55am on Tuesday.

The train will stop at Jakhalabandha, Amoni, Nowgong, Senchoa, Chaparmukh, Jagiroad, Guwahati, Kamakhya, Goalpara Town, New Bongaigaon, Fakiragram, New Alipurduar, New Cooch Behar, New Jalpaiguri, Malda Town, Rampurhat, Bolpur and Barddhaman.

The train will have one AC 2-tier, four AC 3-tier, eight sleeper class and four general second class coaches apart from two luggage-cum-generator vans.

The inaugural train bearing number 03182 left Silghat at 1.30pm and will reach Calcutta at 1.50pm on Wednesday. Regular services of the train will start from Calcutta on January 7 and from Silghat from Janaury 8, NFR chief public relations officer P.J. Sharma said.

Rajen Gohain and Keshab Mahanta flag off the Silghat-Kolkata Express on Tuesday. UB Photos