Vande Bharat for Kerala; PM Modi to inaugurate service on April 25

Thiruvananthapuram: In a surprise announcement, Kerala has been asked to make hasty preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to flag off the Vande Bharat Express in the state, according to Manorama News.

The Railway Board issued a set of instructions to complete the preparations on time.

As per reports, the Thiruvananthapuram-Kannur service is under consideration.

In the first phase, trial service will commence from Thiruvananthapuram to Shornur in Thrissur.

PM Modi, who will reach Kerala on April 24, is scheduled to inaugurate the Vande Bharat Express from Thiruvananthapuram the next day.

The rakes of the Vande Bharat train will be brought in from Chennai to the capital district on Friday.

The Thiruvananthapuram Railway Division issued seven instructions, including details of the inaugural service, to be followed on April 25.

Vande Bharat trains can touch up to speeds of 160 km per hour. However, it is not clear what will be the train's speed in Kerala, considering the state's topology.

Two weeks ago, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had expressed his disappointment over Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw's statement that permitting Vande Bharat trains to Kerala was not under the consideration of the Central government at the moment and had asked the government to reconsider its stand.

Though the railway minister stated in February that Vande Bharat Express would reach Kerala soon, he later went back on the promise.