Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has received a grand welcome on his arrival at Thiruvananthapuram, is all set to flag off Kerala’s first Vande Bharat train from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod. He will also launch the Kochi water metro and lay the foundation stone for a Rs 1,500-crore digital science park.
Addressing the youth rally in Kochi following a mega road show, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched for a BJP government in the state. “The way Northeastern states and Goa accepted BJP, its work and its government, Kerala too will accept it in the coming days,” the PM said during the youth conclave.
Modi will flag off Kerala’s first Vande Bharat Express between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod at Thiruvananthapuram Central Station on Tuesday. The BJP is showcasing the introduction of the Vande Bharat service for Kerala rail commuters, framing it as the Centre’s answer to the CPI(M)-led state government’s demand for semi-high speed rail corridor, Silverline. The BJP claims that the Vande Bharat Express demonstrates its commitment to Kerala’s development.
2. Kochi Water Metro
PM Modi will also be dedicating the Kochi Water Metro to the nation, a first-of-its-kind public boat service integrated with a metro rail network. The Rs 747-crore project is being implemented by Kochi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRL).
The project is implemented with assistance from German funding agency Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had earlier termed the Kochi Water Metro as a “dream project” that would accelerate the growth and development of Kochi.
