Trivandrum: Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today flagged off a Vande Bharat Express between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod, the first Vande Bharat service in the state of Kerala from Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway station.
In order to provide an opportunity for children, rail enthusiasts and the general public to get a glimpse of the prestigious train service, the inaugural special of Thiruvananthapuram Central – Kasaragod Vande Bharat Express was provided stoppages at 14 railway stations en route. The train received overwhelming reception at these stations with students, railfans and the general public joining the festivities. A special welcome was accorded at many of the stations with Kerala’s traditional Kathakali, Mohiniyattam performances and Panchavadhyam.
Earlier, the Prime Minister interacted with the school children onboard Vande Bharat Express. School children from various schools in Kerala who were winners of the ‘Vande Bharat’ essay and painting competitions were given an opportunity to travel in the inaugural service.
This Vande Bharat Express between the state capital Thiruvananthapuram and the historical town Kasaragod is the first Vande Bharat exclusively serving Kerala. Reaching the destination in about 8 hrs and 5 minutes from both ends, this premium service will reduce the average travel time between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod by almost three hours. The service interlinks almost the entire stretch of Kerala from South to North offering faster connectivity to enroute destinations such as Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam Town, Thrissur, Shoranur Junction, Kozhikode and Kannur.
Shri Arif Mohammed Khan, Governor of Kerala, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics & IT; Dr Sashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament and other dignitaries participated in the above event held at Thiruvananthapuram central railway station.