Vande Bharat launched

The regular services of 20631 and 20632 Vande Bharath trains between Mangaluru Central and Thiruvanantapuram will start from Wednesday. The train will leave Mangaluru Central at 6.25 a.m. and reach Thiruvananthapuram at 3.05 p.m. In return it will leave Thiruvananthapuram at 4.05 p.m. and reach Mangaluru Central the next day at 12.40 a.m. It will have stops at Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Tirur, Shoranur Junction, Thrisur, Ernakulam Junction, Alappuzha and Kollam Junction.

Speaking ahead of the flagging off ceremony, Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament Nalin Kumar Kateel said the new train will be convenient for people of the region to visit Ananthapadmanabha temple in Thiruvannantapuram, Sabarimala, Mata Amritanandamayi Mutt and other religious places in Kerala. The train service will be helpful to a good number of Keralities staying in Mangaluru and other parts of Dakshina Kannada. With movement of traders between the two regions, economy in the region will see tremendous growth, he said. Mr. Kateel said Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has provided Vande Bharath trains each to connect Mangaluru with Madgaon and to Thiruvananthapuram respectively. He is hopeful of launching the Vande Bharath train to Bengaluru in June with completion of electrification work between ManglauruBengaluru railway stretch in May.

AyodhyaMangaluru train service

The MP said a direct train service will shortly start between Mangaluru and Ayodhya. He has sought direct flight between Mangaluru and Ayodhya, he said.