New Delhi: The services of the Vande Bharat train, set to be flagged off in Kerala, will be extended to Kasaragod. Earlier it was decided to conduct the services of the speed train from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav announced the decision to extend the route to Kasaragod as he addressed the media in Delhi on Tuesday.
A fresh trial run of the train will be conducted tomorrow (Wednesday) with the route being extended. The train will start from Thiruvananthapuram station at 5.10 am. The trial run will be conducted till Kasaragod. A trial run was conducted from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur on Monday. The train completed the run in seven hours and 10 minutes.
Tracks to be strengthened
The minister said the rail tracks in Kerala will be strengthened so as to attain a speed of 110 km per hour within one-and-a-half year. In the second phase of development, the speed will be improved to 130 km per hour.
"In Kerala, we are going to upgrade the tracks in two phases. In phase one, we have sanctioned Rs 38 crore for converting the entire track from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram to a speed potential of 110 kmph. In the second phase, we will achieve a speed potential of 130 kmph from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram. Curves have to be straightened for this. This phase will require some land acquisition. A detailed project report (DPR) is being prepared for this. In parallel, another DPR is being prepared for strengthening the tracks to achieve a speed of 160 kmph which is kind of the upper limit. This is a complex project. Proper analaysis is needed for this," Vaishnaw said.
The Union minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his ministry a clear mandate that the entire railway network of Kerala has to be significantly improved.
Union Minister of State from Kerala, V Muraleedharan, accompanied Vaishnaw at the press meet.
Vaishnaw said the Centre will implement a project for the comprehensive development of mobility in Thiruvananthapuram. A sum of Rs 166 crore has been sanctioned for this.
The Congress-led UDF opposition in Kerala on Sunday urged the Union Railway Ministry to extend the route of the proposed Vande Bharat Express in the state upto Mangalore station in Karnataka so that people of Kerala's northernmost district of Kasaragod can also benefit from it.
In a letter to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the State Assembly V D Satheesan has sought route extension to ensure "overall high-speed railway connectivity in the state".
Satheesan said that as per media reports, the existing route of the proposed Vande Bharat Express was from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur, leaving out the northernmost district of Kasaragod.
"Please note that Kasargod forms part of the existing railway system in the state and could have been seamlessly incorporated into the existing route of the Vande Bharat Express without much pain. Leaving out the northern district of Kasaragod is considered a grave injustice to the people of Kasaragod," the LoP said.
