NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off four new railway services, including three Amrit Bharat Express trains and a new passenger train, from Thiruvananthapuram, marking a significant boost to rail connectivity in south India.
The new services include the Nagercoil–Mangaluru Amrit Bharat Express, Thiruvananthapuram–Tambaram Amrit Bharat Express, Thiruvananthapuram–Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express, and a passenger train connecting Thrissur and Guruvayur.
These rail links are expected to substantially enhance long-distance and regional connectivity across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, facilitating smoother travel and economic integration.
In a post on social media, the Prime Minister had expressed his anticipation for the visit, saying he looks forward to being among the people of Thiruvananthapuram and launching several key development initiatives from the city. These include the launch of the PM SVANidhi Credit Card and the disbursal of PM SVANidhi loans to one lakh beneficiaries, alongside the inauguration of the new train services.
Modi will also lay the foundation stone for the CSIR–National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship Hub in Thiruvananthapuram. The proposed hub will focus on life sciences and the bio-economy, integrate traditional knowledge systems such as Ayurveda with modern biotechnology, and promote innovation in sustainable packaging and green hydrogen.