Onboard Vande Bharat Express, Apr 25 (PTI) People in large numbers stood at railway crossings, on flyovers, in fields, and other vantage points to catch a glimpse of Kerala’s first Vande Bharat Express on Tuesday during its inaugural run from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasargod.
The express train, flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day, was welcomed at railway stations on its route and at places where the semi-high-speed did not have a stoppage.
Those residing in houses along the route stood on balconies, on rooftops, and even on boundary walls while youngsters clicked selfies with the train in the background.
Some were seen recording videos of the train as it whizzed past.
The Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod (20634) Vande Bharat Express was flagged off by Modi in the presence of Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor.
People in huge numbers witnessed the flagging-off ceremony at the Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station.
They waved the tricolour, showered flower petals on the train, and cheered and applauded as it left the station.
The playing of drums at the stoppages and public representatives and their supporters welcoming the train was common scene at the stations. Children, youngsters, and the elderly — people of all ages were excited to catch a glimpse of the train.
When it stopped at the Thiruvallur station, which isn’t a scheduled stoppage, an elderly man and a woman touched the train while a group of dancers performed Karagam, a popular folk dance of Tamil Nadu.
An enthusiastic crowd welcomed the train at the Kottayam station amid the raising of patriotic slogans. An elderly man holding a child made him touch the train.
Among those clicking selfies with the train were policemen.
Motorcyclists parked their bikes on the roadside to click photos of the train, and passengers and others queued up on staircases at railway stations to witness the historic moment and record it. The train seemed to have brought the areas it crossed to a momentary standstill.
Rajan, a 45-year-old auto-rickshaw driver from Peroorkada suburb of Thiruvananthapuram, said the train will ease his travel to Kasargod where his relatives live.
“It’s good that the train will go till Kasargod as my relatives live there. I haven’t travelled in a Vande Bharat Express yet but I’ve heard that it strictly follows the timetable. I also wish to take my children on a ride in the semi-high-speed train,” he said.
Deric Dcruz from Ernakulam said he believes that the train will make a huge impact as the journey between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod will be completed in just eight hours.
“As a local, I am very happy as I depend on trains for long trips. I believe Vande Bharat will make a huge impact on the locals as it reduces the travel time between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod,” he said.
“I am hoping that they will focus on cleanliness, onboard service, and timings so that the train becomes a reliable mode of transportation for everyone,” he added.
As part of the flag off of the first Vande Bharat train allotted to Kerala, a number of students from various schools in the capital city were selected to interact with the prime minister based on the performance of their different skills including drawing, painting, recitation, poem writing and so on.
Besides them, their teachers and parents also got a chance to travel in the semi-high-speed train on its first journey.
“I have never thought that the Prime Minister would be this much down to earth. How nicely he has interacted with each one of us! I never felt even for a second that I was talking to the PM,” an elated girl student said.
A student from Chinmaya Vidyalaya here said when he showed his painting of the Vande Bharat to Modi, the Prime Minister said he could not draw a picture like this. “I was humbled by his words. He also asked how much time I took to draw it and whether any of my family members had the skill,” the boy said with a smile.
The Vande Bharat Express connecting the state capital to the northernmost Kerala district of Kasaragod has seven stoppages. The train will take eight hours and five minutes to cover the full stretch. PTI CK RHL
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