Railway minister Suresh Prabhu flagged off a passenger train for Kerala, along with 45 freight terminals envisaged under 'Mission Hundred' - an objective as per the 2016-17 Budget.
The passenger train - Palaruvi Express - will operate daily between Punalur and Palakkad, covering 351 kilometres.
"Kerala is a state with high population density with not much urban-rural divide, so demand for public transport is high. Providing intercity transport for Kerala is important," said a statement citing the minister, who inaugurated these services through video-conferencing from New Delhi.
"This new train would cater to the needs of people of Kerala. Stoppages and timings of this train has been taken care of based on the suggestions from the representations from the state," Prabhu added.
(with agency inputs)