After a long wait, Kerala finally received its first Vande Bharat Express, a semi-high speed train. While initial reports suggested that the train was not able to run at high speeds, new information from railway sources indicates that the train will soon be able to run at 130 km per hour.
According to the sources, work to strengthen the rail tracks and change the curve is progressing rapidly, and there is no need to acquire any additional land for the project. Additionally, a survey for a third lane on the Ernakulam-Shornur route has already begun, with initial speeds expected to exceed 110 km per hour.
The improved tracks will not only benefit Vande Bharat Express but also long-distance trains operating in Kerala, leading to reduced travel time and the potential for more high-speed trains to be extended to the region. Currently, the speed in the Thiruvananthapuram-Kayamkulam section is 100 km per hour, while it is 90 km per hour in the Kayamkulam-Ernakulam section and 80 km per hour in the Ernakulam-Shornur section.
However, the future of K-Rail may be in doubt as trains continue to get faster. The project has faced criticism for its high cost and the need to acquire land, and it has not yet received approval from the central government.
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