The trial run of the Vande Bharat Express was completed from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur and back on Monday.The train took 7 hours and 10 minutes to reach Kannur from the state capital, departing Thiruvananthapuram at 5.10am reaching Kannur at 12.20pm.
According to the railway authorities, Vande Bharat Express has become the fastest train in the state with it recording less than two hours and 25 minutes taken by the Janshatabdi Express to reach Kannur. The maximum speed attained was 110 km/hour between Shornnur and Kannur. The speed it clocked in the remaining stretch was between 80 to 100 km/hour.
Higher officials from the Thiruvananthapuram division and engineering department officials had travelled in the trial run. In the return journey, the train departed Kannur at 2.10pm and reached Thiruvananthapuram at 9.30pm, taking 7 hours 20 minutes to cover the distance.
The railway authorities informed that based on the report prepared after the completion of the trial run, a notification detailing the number of stoppages and the ticket rates will be issued.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to flag off the Vande Bharat Express from Thiruvananthapuram central station on April 25. Before the flag off, the track augmentation and modernisation of the signalling system will be done, according to the railway authorities.
The BJP workers had gathered in large numbers to receive the train in each station during the trial run. The BJP has termed the sanctioning of the Vande Bharat Express as a ‘Vishukaineetom’ of PM Modi to Kerala.
