PM Modi flags off Kerala’s first Vande Bharat Express

PM Modi inaugurated the very first Vande Bharat train in Kerala on April 25 in a welcome step for the state. This train will cover 11 major districts of Kerala – Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod. Along with Vande Bharat, he inaugurated a unique project called Kochi Water Metro. This project will connect ten islands around Kochi through hybrid boats to increase connectivity.  

PM Modi’s Kerala visit is being viewed as a major step to increase BJP’s electoral performance in Kerala in next year’s general elections. Vande Bharat’s addition in Kerala will provide a major relief to inter-district commutes within the state. There has been much discussion around Vande Bharat trains and how they boost the ‘Make in India’ initiative. They are the nation’s first indigenously built high-speed luxury train equipped with modern technology for comfortable travel and increased security, and multiple advanced models of this train are also under construction. Along with Vande Bharat, Indian Railways has also announced Vande Metro, which enables a rapid inter-city commute for passengers on a daily basis.