State pitches for third and fourth line, Namo Bharat Rapid Rail between Mangaluru and Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala seeks third and fourth rail lines for high-speed trains, supports Namo Bharat Rapid Rail, and upgrades Vande Bharat services.

Pitching the idea of operating trains at higher speeds of 160–200 km through the existing tracks in the State, Kerala has sought a third and fourth line between Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru.

According to sources, among the various demands raised by Kerala during a meeting with Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday, the priority was for the third and fourth lines between Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru, along with other demands.

The State has also extended support for the land acquisition for the third and fourth lines, for which the Railways have started survey works in various stretches. In addition, the State has sought the introduction of Namo Bharat Rapid Rail connecting Thiruvananthapuram with Mangaluru on the lines of similar projects in Delhi and Bengaluru. The indigenously manufactured Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), titled Namo Bharat train introduced a year ago, has a design speed of 180 kmph and an operational speed of 160 kmph. Mr. Vaishnaw has recently announced that the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail will be introduced in Bengaluru soon.

Stressing the need for high-speed train service in Kerala, the State has pointed out the growing acceptance for Vande Bharat train services in Kerala. Despite operating at an average speed of 73 kmhr, the two Vande Bharat services introduced in Kerala have achieved the highest occupancy rates among all Vande Bharat services in the country.

The State also sought to upgrade two Vande Bharat trains in Kerala operating with 16 and eight-car sets, respectively, into 20-car train sets considering the huge popularity of the services in Kerala. Further, the Vande Bharat service introduced as a special service between Ernakulam and Bengaluru for a brief period should be restored and regularised considering the positive response for the train on the route and higher occupancy.

The State has also brought the Silverline semi-high-speed train project to the attention of the Union Minister, saying the initiative’s detailed project report is yet to get the approval of the railway board after issuing an in-principle approval for the project.

Along with this, the State also stressed the need to de-freeze the Angamali-Erumely Sabari rail project, apart from requesting the Centre to sanction the Nilambur-Nanjangud rail project, Thalassery-Mysuru project, and the new rail line between Kanhangad-Panathur-Kaniyur section.