The bookings for Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod Vande Bharat Express train in Kerala began on Sunday, April 23. The new semi-high speed train will be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday from Thiruvananthapuram central station. However, news of the first Vande Bharat train in the state came with many controversies ever since it began its trial run a week ago.
Initially the controversy was regarding the train’s speed. It was claimed that the train can run up to 130 km per hour, but there were counter allegations that with Kerala's infrastructure that is not possible. E Sreedharan, renowned technocrat, in an interview given to the The New Indian Express, claimed that the train can run only at a speed up to 90 km per hour considering the infrastructure in the state. The ‘Metroman’, who had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP) and contested from Palakkad in the 2021 Kerala Assembly elections, said that it was foolish to run the Vande Bharat trains at 90 km/hour when they had the potential to run at 160 km/hr. Saying that it will only serve as publicity, Sreedharan added that Vande Bharat was not suitable for present day Kerala.
Another controversy was over the stops of the train. Earlier it was decided that the train will run from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur, excluding the Kasaragod district. But when there was huge criticism on this decision, Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on April 19 that the train will be extended till Kasaragod. He said the decision was taken after getting recommendations from various quarters.
There is also a huge protest by the Indian Union Muslim League for neglecting Malappuram district and not allotting a stop in Tirur. Ponnani Member of Parliament ET Muhammed Basheer called it an injustice to the district and said that they will be organising a mass protest against it. As per the present schedule the train will have no stop in Malappuram and Alappuzha districts. Tirur and Chengannur are the stations where the train will pass through these districts. Basheer has also written to the Union Railway Minister seeking a stop in Tirur.
There are reports that several trains will be halted as part of providing security to Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he arrives to flag off the train on April 25.
“I have long said our security goes too far. I have never seen so many restrictions, entire roads shut down, traffic halted, now trains diverted, in any other country. Other heads of govt function w/bullet-proof vehicles & guards but why do our VIPs need this level of protection? (sic),” Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor replied to a tweet which said that several trains will be halted on the day of the flag-off.