The launch of Kerala’s third Vande Bharat Express caught fire on its debut day. A music‑filled ceremony in Ernakulam South railway station turned the inaugural run into a festive celebration. School kids sang patriotic songs right inside the coaches, adding a vibrant touch to the event.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the green light from Varanasi, flagging the train off virtually. In person, Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar, Union Minister of State for Fisheries George Kurian, State Law Minister P. Rajeeve, and MPs Hibi Eden and T.J. Vinod welcomed the train and joined the ceremony.
Southern Railway called the launch a “melody of joy,” and passengers and staff buzzed with excitement as the sleek blue‑and‑white train rolled out. Although it was set to depart at 8 a.m., the service left the platform at about 8:45 a.m. after a successful trial run the day before.
The new Vande Bharat Express connects Ernakulam in Kerala to Bengaluru in Karnataka, covering 608 km in nine hours with 11 stops: Thrissur, Shoranur, Palakkad, Podanur, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Jolarpettai, Krishnarajapuram, and KSR Bengaluru. The train departs Ernakulam at 2:20 p.m. and arrives in Bengaluru at 11 p.m., while the return journey leaves Bengaluru at 5:10 a.m. and arrives in Ernakulam at 1:50 p.m.
Prime Minister Modi also launched four other Vande Bharat services from Varanasi that day, linking Banaras–Khajuraho, Lucknow–Firozpur, Delhi, and the Ernakulam–Bengaluru stretch.
Railway officials say the new service will boost connectivity between Kerala’s commercial hub and Karnataka’s tech capital, catering to business travellers, students, and tourists. It’s another step in the government’s plan to expand the Vande Bharat network across southern India.
With songs, cheers, and enthusiastic crowds, the train didn’t just start a new journey—it marked a milestone in high‑speed intercity travel for two neighboring states.
Source: ianslive
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