The all air-conditioned train aims to make overnight train journeys faster and more premium and comfortable for passengers.

Vande Bharat sleeper flag off today: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to flag off the first Vande Bharat sleeper train set of Indian Railways from Malda town in West Bengal today. The inaugural Vande Bharat sleeper train will run between Howrah in West Bengal and Kamakya (Guwahati) in Assam.The all air-conditioned train aims to make overnight train journeys faster and more premium and comfortable for passengers. The Vande Bharat Sleeper train has 16 air-conditioned coaches, including 11 AC-3 tier coaches, four AC-2 tier coaches and a single First AC coach, with an overall passenger carrying capacity of 823.

Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Number, Schedule & Timings

Train number 27575 Howrah-Kamakhya (Guwahati) Vande Bharat sleeper will leave at 18:20 from Howrah to arrive in Kamakhya the next day at 8:20 AM. The train will complete the journey in just 14 hours, making it the fastest train on the route. En route the it will stop at Bandel Jn, Nabadwip Dham, Katwa Jn, Azimganj, New Farakka Jn, Malda Town, Aluabari Road, New Jalpaiguri, Jalpaiguri Road, New Cooch Behar, New Alipurduar, New Bongaigaon, and Rangiya. At most of these destinations the train will stop for 2 minutes, except New Jalpaiguri (10 minutes), Malda Town (10 minutes), Azim Ganj (5 minutes).In the return direction, train number 27576 Howrah-Kamakhya Vande Bharat sleeper train will depart from Howrah station at 6:15 PM to arrive in Kamakhya at 8:15 AM.The train will run on six days in a week; Ex Kamakhya won’t run on Wednesday and Ex-Howrah won’t run on Thursdays.

Vande Bharat Sleeper Fare Structure & Ticket Prices

For passengers travelling from Howrah to Kamakhya (Guwahati), the AC-3 tier train ticket will be priced at Rs 2,299. This is exclusive of the 5% GST. Fares to New Jalpaiguri and Malda Town will be Rs 1,334 and Rs 960, respectively. In the AC-2 tier category, the Howrah–Guwahati fare has been fixed at Rs 2,970, with tickets costing Rs 1,724 for New Jalpaiguri and Rs 1,240 for Malda Town.First AC fares from Howrah to Guwahati have been set at Rs 3,640, while travel to New Jalpaiguri will cost Rs 2,113 and journeys to Malda Town Rs 1,520.On the Kamakhya side, fares between Kamakhya and Malda Town have been set at Rs 1,522 for AC-3 tier, Rs 1,965 for AC-2 tier and Rs 2,409 for First AC, while tickets between Kamakhya and New Jalpaiguri will be priced at Rs 962 in AC-3 tier, Rs 1,243 in AC-2 tier and Rs 1,524 in First AC.

Vande Bharat Sleeper: What Are The Top Features?

Vande Bharat sleeper trains have been designed for a top speed of 180 kmph and have been tested successfully at that speed. The maximum permissible speed of the train is 160 kmph, though this will vary depending on the route.Safety and efficiency are addressed through the indigenous KAVACH anti-collision system, while regenerative braking technology will be deployed to improve energy efficiency, in line with existing Vande Bharat chair car trains.The sleeper coaches are equipped with well-padded berths to enhance comfort, along with improved access to upper berths to make movement easier for passengers.Onboard facilities include gentle night-time lighting, integrated passenger information systems, CCTV monitoring and modular pantry units. The trains also feature aircraft-style bio-vacuum toilets, including specially designed amenities for persons with disabilities, baby care facilities and hot-water shower units in the first-class coach.Additional enhancements include sealed gangways and automatic doors between coaches to help regulate air quality and cabin temperature, as well as individual reading lamps, charging points, foldable snack tables and interiors finished with GFRP panels.Automatic door operation at designated stations, a centralised coach monitoring system and emergency communication features that enable passengers to directly reach the locomotive pilot further strengthen safety and convenience.Its aerodynamic profile helps reduce air resistance, resulting in a steady and smooth ride even at higher speeds. Passengers travelling on the Vande Bharat Sleeper will be served cuisine that reflects local flavours. According to Indian Railways, trains originating from Guwahati will offer authentic Assamese dishes, while services starting from Kolkata will feature traditional Bengali food, adding a cultural dimension to the journey and making overnight travel more enjoyable.

Heaters being used at the players’ practice area at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex (Image credit: Hindol Basu/TNN)

NEW DELHI: Can the Sports Authority of India (SAI) be absolved of responsibility for the embarrassing mess that unfolded at the India Open Super 750 badminton at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium? That question has grown louder by the day as a cascade of venue-related failures turned one of the BWF World Tour’s marquee events into a case study in administrative neglect.The sight of an MCD dog catching rats stationed at the venue on Friday served as a stark indicator of how serious the situation had become, and how far the tournament had drifted from basic international standards.

The India Open is being staged at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium (part of the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex), a facility owned and maintained by SAI on behalf of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS). While the Badminton Association of India (BAI) is the event organiser, the responsibility for upkeep and maintenance lies with SAI, a point that several stakeholders believe cannot be brushed aside.“Venue hygiene, safety and basic readiness are non-negotiable at a World Tour Super 750 event,” an ex-India shuttler said. “These are not overnight issues. Dirty premises, animal intrusion and unfinished work point to systemic failure, not just last-minute lapses.”Against this backdrop, sources told TOI that the stadium was handed over to the organisers only on January 2. “The window was small,” admitted a BAI source, “but that does not explain animal intrusion or filth in the surroundings. Those are baseline maintenance issues.”“You can’t pass the buck entirely to BAI,” the source said.However, handing the India Open to the IGI Stadium without first stress-testing the venue through a national event was a serious misjudgment on the part of BAI too. Late Thursday night and throughout Friday, frantic cleaning and scrubbing operations were launched at the stadium. “Fixing things after players complain is the worst possible approach,” a former India shuttler said. “By then, the damage is already done — reputationally and otherwise.”While the BAI cannot escape responsibility, especially with the World Championships scheduled at the same venue in August, the spotlight is on SAI’s role as the stadium’s custodian. “The India Open was supposed to be a rehearsal for the Worlds. Instead, it has exposed deep cracks in infrastructure management. If not addressed urgently, August could be more damaging,” an ex-player said.“This is not how the venue of a Super 750 tournament should look, especially one that is supposed to host the World Championships later this year. I find it very difficult to see how the World Championships could be held here,” Danish shuttler Mia Blichfeldt told Instagram on Friday.“The venues were handed over in time to BAI for setting up Field of Play, practice area etc,” a SAI official told TOI. “The routine cleaning and maintenance were done in advance. However, the presence of pigeons in the high altars of stadium premises is a real issue. With large openings (air vents, ducts and shafts) in the stadium, it’s a challenge to completely block entry of pigeons. Protocols and oversight…”

NEW DELHI: Maharashtra civic election results have put the spotlight on tainted corporators, as candidates with criminal backgrounds won pockets in Pune and Jalna in the corporation polls.The poll results brought attention to politicians with criminal backgrounds as some of the winners celebrated their victory from jail. From gangster’s family, jailed women, Gauri Lankesh murder accused, some winners from the local polls grabbed national attention.In Pune, two relatives of gangster Suryakant alias Bandu Andekar, currently lodged in jail in connection with the murder of his grandson, were elected from Ward No. 23 in the civic polls on Friday.

In Pune, Sonali Andekar, Bandu Andekar’s daughter-in-law, and his sister-in-law Laxmi Andekar were fielded by the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The party had faced sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party for nominating candidates with criminal backgrounds.Sonali Andekar is the wife of former NCP corporator Vanraj Andekar, who was murdered on September 1, 2024, in Pune’s Nana Peth area. Vanraj was allegedly killed by Ganesh Komkar, the husband of one of Vanraj’s two sisters, following a property dispute.Exactly a year later, in 2025, Ganesh Komkar’s 19-year-old son Ayush Komkar was murdered, allegedly in an act of revenge.Bandu Andekar, his son Krushna Andekar, Sonali Andekar, Laxmi Andekar, and others were arrested in the Ayush Komkar murder case. While Bandu, Sonali, and Laxmi are currently in judicial custody, the NCP went ahead and offered tickets to the two women candidates from the ward, triggering widespread criticism.In a closely contested fight, Sonali Andekar defeated Pratibha Dhangekar, wife of former MLA and Shiv Sena leader Ravindra Dhangekar. Laxmi Andekar defeated BJP candidate Rutuja Gadale by a slender margin.Mithun Chavan, a lawyer associated with the Andekar family, said the twin victories reflected the social work carried out by the family over the years.He said the Andekars have a long political legacy, with Vatsala Andekar having served as the city’s mayor, while late Udyankant Andekar and Vanraj Andekar were corporators known for raising civic issues.Chavan said that although Sonali and Laxmi were in jail during the campaign, other family members led the outreach.“They connected with voters on the ground, and people responded positively by electing both the candidates,” he said.Pradnya Andekar, a relative of the newly elected corporators, thanked the voters of the ward for reposing faith in the family and said they would continue to work for the betterment of residents.

Gauri Lankesh murder accused wins Jalna

Shrikant Pangarkar secured victory from Ward 13 in the Jalna Municipal Corporation elections, defeating candidates from the BJP and several other parties. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena did not field a candidate in the ward.Ahead of the November 2024 assembly elections, Pangarkar had joined the Shiv Sena. However, following public outcry over his induction, Shinde kept it in abeyance.Gauri Lankesh was shot dead outside her Bengaluru residence on September 5, 2017. Her murder had triggered national headlines and sparked intense debates over liberalism, secularism, and communalism in India.Pangarkar had earlier served as a member of the Jalna municipal council with the undivided Shiv Sena between 2001 and 2006. After being denied a ticket in 2011, he joined the right-wing Hindu Janjagruti Samiti.

MUMBAI: Though they lost control of Mumbai, Thackeray cousins Uddhav and Raj managed to retain their base in the Marathi heartland of South and Central Mumbai. They could, however, have limited impact outside the Marathi-dominated areas.The Mahayuti managed to win only a handful of seats in areas like Dadar-Mahim, Worli, Sewri, Lalbaug-Parel and parts of Wadala, with the Sena (UBT)-MNS combine keeping most. Many of these seats saw fierce and prestige battles. Out of around 20 seats in these areas, the Mahayuti could win only 2-3 while the Thackerays won the rest.

The Sena (UBT) had fielded three former mayors Kishori Pednekar, Vishakha Raut and Milind Vaidya from this area, reflecting Sena (UBT)’s seriousness about winning from here. All three won.In Dadar-Mahim and Worli, Shiv Sena’s Samadhan Sarvankar and Priya Sarvankar, son and daughter of ex-Sena MLA Sada Sarvankar, lost to Sena (UBT) candidates Nishikant Shinde and Vishakha Raut. The only seats the Mahayuti managed to win there were of Shinde Sena’s Vanita Sarvankar (Worli) and BJP’s Sheetal Gambhir (Mahim).

In most seats in Marathi strongholds, there was a faceoff between Shinde Sena and the Thackeray cousins.“The real battle for the Marathi manoos’ loyalty was being fought in Central Mumbai. This is the Marathi heartland. The last bastion of the Sena (UBT) where it has not been defeated in the LS and assembly polls so far. The Sena (UBT) won the Lok Sabha South Mumbai seat and all assembly seats like Worli, Sewri and Dadar-Mahim. So the BMC elections were a litmus test for the Sena (UBT)-MNS combine. With the Thackeray cousins coming together, the Sena (UBT)-MNS combine retained their bastion and Mahayuti only managed to create a small dent,” a political observer said.This performance of the UBT Sena-MNS came after several of the former corporators of both parties had jumped to the Shinde-led Sena or the BJP. MNS’s former corporator from Worli, Santosh Dhuri, was the last to leave and join the BJP, just days ahead of the BMC polls. Similarly, former Sena (UBT) MLA Dagdu Sakpal joined the Shinde Sena last week. The Sena (UBT) was also battling rebels in four out of six wards in Worli, which was a challenge for the UBT-MNS combine. The rebellion had happened because many tickets had been given to family members of Sena (UBT) netas.An analyst said, “The Sena took shape in this very locality in 1966, so it has always remained a bastion. But the BJP and Shinde Sena have made inroads here. The fact that Mahayuti was able to open its account with one or two wins could be seen as a dent inj the Thackeray stronghold. There Thackerays were relying on a 100% strike rate in Central Mumbai. However, it is true that Shinde has fared worse than expected, and this has hit Mahayuti’s prospects.”

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that all-rounder Washington Sundar will miss the upcoming IDFC First Bank T20I series against New Zealand due to a side strain. Sundar experienced acute discomfort in his lower rib area while bowling during the first ODI at the BCA Stadium, Vadodara, on 11 January. Following scans and an in-person consultation with a medical expert, he has been advised to rest for a few days and will report to the BCCI Centre of Excellence for further assessment and rehabilitation. To fill the vacancy, the Men’s Selection Committee has named leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi as Sundar’s replacement in the T20I squad. Bishnoi has played 42 T20Is, taking 61 wickets with best figures of 4/13. He has maintained a strike rate of 15.8 and an economy of 7.35. Additionally, Shreyas Iyer has been added to the squad for the first three T20Is in place of Tilak Varma, who is recovering from an abdominal injury.

Shreyas Iyer has played 51 T20Is, batting in 47 innings and scoring 1,104 runs at an average of 30.67. He has a strike rate of 136.13, with a highest score of 90 and eight half-centuries to his name. Iyer played 17 matches for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025, scoring 604 runs at an average of 50.33 with a strike rate of 175.07. He hit six half-centuries and led the team to their first IPL final since 2014. India’s updated T20I squad: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shreyas Iyer (first three T20Is), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (VC), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ishan Kishan (WK), Ravi Bishnoi