'Hope more would follow...'Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan tells PM after Vande Bharat flag-off

The Chief Minister stated that great things might be accomplished in these areas if the central and state governments collaborate diligently.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allocating a Vande Bharat Express, the semi-high-speed train, and dedicating several development projects to the nation.

CM Vijayan, during his brief speech, said he was placing Kerala's "gratitude to you for allocating a Vande Bharat train" and expressed hope that more would follow.

"Developing our railway stations, laying new railway lines, doubling and electrifying existing railway lines, improving our signal systems, increasing the speed of our trains and introducing new trains are all initiatives that need special focus," he said.

The Chief Minister stated that great things might be accomplished in these areas if the central and state governments collaborate diligently.

In the days to come, "let us make the development of Kerala a touchstone of cooperative federalism," the CM told the Prime Minister.

It's interesting that he made no mention of the ambitious SilverLine semi-high-speed rail line project that his government had planned but had to cancel due to local opposition in some parts of the state and a lack of requisite Centre approval.

CM Vijayan also expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for laying the foundation stone for the Digital Science Park and dedicating the Kochi Water Metro to the nation, and he expressed his confidence that both of these efforts, carried out by the Kerala government, will serve as models for the rest of the nation.

The LDF government, according to Kerala's chief minister, is implementing a number of welfare and development projects with the aim of transforming the southern state into a knowledge economy and inventive society.

He added that the state government is working to ensure that everyone in the community would benefit from the development and welfare plans and projects while carrying out all of these initiatives.

PM Modi flagged off the Vande Bharat Express from the Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station. The Prime Minister 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.

(Inputs from PTI)