Different Colour, Similar Route: Why Kerala Is Getting 2nd Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat
The new Vande Bharat train, which is all set for launch on Sunday, will be flagged off from Kasaragod. The earlier one was via Kottayam and the new train will pass through Alappuzha. Against the usual white-and-blue train, the latest Vande Bharat given to Kerala...Read More
About five months ago, Kerala’s first Vande Bharat was launched. With a dedicated train, Kerala–from north to south–is well-connected with Vande Bharat since April. The train starts from the northernmost district of Kasaragod and ends in the southernmost district of Thiruvananthapuram. It connects nine out of the 14 districts in the state– Kannur, Kozhikode, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kottayam, and Kollam.
By the end of this week, another Vande Bharat train will be inaugurated in the state that will pass through almost similar routes. The only difference would be that the earlier one was via Kottayam and the new train will pass through Alappuzha, also known as Alleppey. The new Vande Bharat train, which is all set for launch on Sunday, will be flagged off from Kasaragod. Against the usual white-and-blue train, the latest Vande Bharat given to Kerala will be saffron in colour.
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The ministry has decided to give a second Vande Bharat train to Kerala at a time when Lok Sabha elections are just months away. Kerala has been a difficult state for the BJP and NDA. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, despite sweeping the election nationwide, the BJP-led NDA failed to win even a single seat in the state, although its vote share improved to 15 per cent.
Why another Vande Bharat with same destination?
It is the first time that two Vande Bharat trains will be running with the same destination stations, a ministry official told News18. The reason that the ministry decided to launch another train on the same route was because of its popularity.
“As of now, the new Vande Bharat train will be operational between Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram. However, the destination may change depending upon the response," the official said, requesting anonymity.
If the numbers are to be believed, the Vande Bharat running in Kerala is the most successful in terms of passenger occupancy.
In May, days after it was launched, the Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram was running with an occupancy rate of 190 per cent–almost double of what the other Vande Bharat trains had. The occupancy of more than 100 per cent included the passengers on the waitlist.
By mid-September, even as the numbers dropped, the train was still running with more than 170 per cent occupancy. This financial year, the Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express registered 178 per cent occupancy, while on its way back the occupancy was about 172 per cent.
When asked how the Railways plans to ensure that the maximum number of passengers get the benefits of the two trains, the official explained that the timings of the trains have been planned in such a way that one will be available in the morning and the other in the evening from both sides.
Explaining this, the official said that the Vande Bharat train currently running between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod starts at 5.20 am and reaches its destination at 1.20 pm. On its way back, the train starts at 2.30 pm and reaches Thiruvananthapuram at 10.35 pm.
The new train, the official added, is scheduled to start at 7 am from Kasaragod and will reach Thiruvananthapuram at 3.05 pm, while on its way back it will start at 4.05 pm and end the journey by 11.55 pm.
“So, in this way, from either side, one Vande Bharat will be available in the morning and another in the evening. And hence it will ensure maximum coverage," the official said, adding that the schedule of the new train is tentative.
Kerala most well-connected state with Vande Bharat
The state has 14 districts. Two of these– Wayanad and Idukki–do not have railway connectivity. Now, out of the 12 districts that have railway connectivity, 10 will be connected with Vande Bharat. Further, out of these 10, at least eight districts will be connected with two Vande Bharat trains offering four services.
The distance between Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram via Alappuzha is 573 km while that via Kottayam is 586 km.
Both the trains will cover the distance in around eight hours, against the usual trains taking 10-12 hours.
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