Vande Bharat Express | Photo: PTI
Chennai: Vande Bharat train in Kerala will conduct services between Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make the official announcement during his visit to Kerala on April 25.
However, uncertainty looms over the maintenance works undertaken to run Vande Bharat trains remain incomplete in Kerala. There is a need to repair railway tracks and adopt new signal system to run Vande Bharat trains.
Thiruvananthapuram Railway division informed that no official order has been issued by the railway board or Southern Railway. Prior to Modi's visit, the railway will conduct repair on tracks, signals and electricity distribution in the next two weeks.
Meanwhile, the railway informed the completion of three rakes (A formation of coupled coaches or cars that makes up a train) comprising eight coaches for Vande Bharat trains at Integral Coach Factory in Perambur. Around four to five rakes are manufactured here every month.
Earlier this week, Modi flagged off the Chennai-Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express, which is expected to cut down the travel time between the state capital and the western industrial city by more than one hour.