Vande Bharat train receives grand reception in Kerala's Palakkad

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers welcomed the train with flowers and sloganeering and distributed sweets to the railway employees. 

Palakkad: Much-awaited Kerala's first Vande Bharat Express arrived in Palakkad from Chennai a while ago for trial runs ahead of its flag-off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers welcomed the train with flowers and sloganeering and distributed sweets to the railway employees. They termed the train 'Vishukaineetam' from the Central Government ahead of Vishu. The train will reach Thiruvananthapuram in the evening. 

Vande Bharat is India's own semi-high-speed train with a maximum speed of 180 kmph. 

According to reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will arrive in the state on April 24, will flag off the express the next day.

Reportedly, the Vande Bharat Express will have a trial run from Thiruvananthapuram on April 22 and 23. A high-level team, led by Southern Railway General Manager RN Singh, will conduct inspections during the trial run. 

Vande Bharat Express will operate between Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur. It will have stops at Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam Town, Thrissur, Tirur, Kozhikode and Kannur. However, the confirmation of stops is yet to be announced by the Ministry of Railways. 

PM Modi will reach in Kochi, Ernakulam on April 24  to participate in the 'Yuvam-2023' event, a dialogue program with the youths, organised by the 'Vibrant Youth For Modifying Kerala'. Newly-joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Anil Antony will also attend the event with the Prime Minister.