PM Modi flags off Vande Bharat Express; TVM-Kasaragod in 5.5 hrs once tracks are straightened, says Rail Minister

Thiruvananthapuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Vande Bharat Express in the state here on Tuesday. 

He flagged off the train from the Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway station here at 11.10 am. The Prime Minister, who landed at Thiruvananthapuram airport around 10.10 am, greeted supporters from his car while  en route to the railway station.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan received him at the airport.

The Prime Minister interacted with selected school students inside the C1 coach of the Vande Bharat Express ahead of the flag off. Kerala Governor, Chief Minister and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor were also present with the PM as he interacted with the students inside the train.

The children showed Modi paintings and sketches of him and the Vande Bharat train made by them.

Hundreds of people also gathered on the opposite side platform to see the PM flag off the train.

The train has 16 coaches of which two are executive with 104 seats.

Meanwhile, Rail minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the speed of Vande Bharat Express will be increased to 110km/h in the future after the railway tracks are straightened out in the state. The maximum speed of the train is 180 km/h. 

"The Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod route can be covered in 5.5 hours after 36-48 months," he said.

The minister added that the Vande Bharat train will operate for at least 35 years and that India would boast of a world class railway in 4 to 5 years time.

Central Stadium meeting

The PM reached the central stadium in Palayam to address a public meeting following this. He also officially launch various railway development projects worth Rs 2,033 crore at the event.

"PM has given Rs 2,033 cr for Railway development for Kerala," Rail minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said during the meeting.

"This was Rs 370 cr between 2009-14," he added.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, state ministers V Abdurahiman, Antony Raju and MP Shashi Tharoor attended the function.

The PM also unveiled district-level projects including Kochi Water Metro and lay the foundation for the country's first Digital Science Park in the state capital.

The Digital Science Park will be established on a 14-acre plot adjacent to the Kerala University of Digital Sciences Innovation and Technology at Veiloor. The government has sanctioned Rs 1,500 crore for the project which will be completed in two years.

After the inauguration of these projects, the PM will fly to Surat in Gujarat.

PM Modi greets supporters en route to railway station

The PM flew down from Kochi in the morning and was given a grand reception by BJP leaders and workers on his arrival at the Thiruvananthapuram airport here.

The entire state capital was under a tight security net, with deployment of hundreds of police personnel and stringent traffic restrictions, as the PM travelled from the airport to the railway station.

His entire nearly six km journey from the airport to the railway station was akin to a road show with the PM standing on the footboard of his vehicle and waving to the people on the roadside as they showered him with flowers.