PM Modi flags off Kerala's first Vande Bharat Express

The Vande Bharat train will cover 11 districts namely Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod.

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): Prime Minister Narendra Modi who arrived in Kerala on a two-day visit flagged off the state's first Vande Bharat Express at Thiruvananthapuram Central Station on Tuesday. He interacted with kids on board the Vande Bharat train. The premium express will run from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasargod.

According to Prime Minister's Office, the Vande Bharat train will cover 11 districts namely Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod.

Vande Bharat Express is an indigenously manufactured, semi-high-speed, self-propelled train set. The train has state-of-the-art passenger amenities, providing passengers with a faster, more comfortable and more convenient travel experience. Prime Minister Modi, who is in Kerala today, will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate various projects worth more than Rs 3,200 crore.

Prime Minister also inaugurated Kochi Water Metro, one of its kind project that connects 10 islands around Kochi through battery-operated electric hybrid boats for seamless connectivity with the city. Apart from Kochi Water Metro, rail electrification of the Dindigul-Palani-Palakkad section was also dedicated by the Prime Minister.

During the event, PM Modi also laid the foundation of various rail projects including the redevelopment of Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, and Varkala Sivagiri railway stations; comprehensive development of Thiruvananthapuram area including Nemon and Kochuveli and increasing of sectional speed of Thiruvananthapuram-Shoranur section. Prime Minister further laid the foundation stone of the Digital Science Park in Thiruvananthapuram. (With Agency inputs)