Kerala needs a bullet train, railway ready, says Suresh Gopi

KOCHI: Union Minister Suresh Gopi said that it is time for the bullet train to come to India and that despite being the tourism and petroleum minister, he has decided to work hard for the railways. He was talking to the media before Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the new Vande Bharat on the Ernakulam-Bengaluru route. The train was flagged off Saturday morning in Varanasi. Apart from Kerala, the new Vande Bharat has also arrived on the Banaras-Khajuraho, Lucknow-Saharanpur, and Ferozepur-Delhi routes.

'When the revolutionary rail operation Vande Bharat came, many other trains were delayed and there were many complaints regarding stops and speed. To balance all this, more facilities are needed. Has demanded to the Center about this. The railway is ready to provide facilities. This year alone, Rs 3042 crore has been allocated for Kerala. The railway is ready to provide Rs 10,000 crore or more. All that is needed is land.

The speed of Vande Bharat and Express trains can be increased further, but the curves here need to be straightened. A place should be found for zero curve, no curve, deep curve rail lines. The location of the railway station is important. If the living conditions of Kochi have to be improved, Kerala's largest hub should come up on 110-117 acres in Ponnurunni. I dream of a railway station like MGR Central Station in Chennai.

Due to the absence of railways, there will be at least five towns in Kerala that lack living facilities. A solution should be found for that. Bullet train should come up in Kerala too. It requires zero curve land. I did not say metro to Thrissur, but metro up to Coimbatore,' Suresh Gopi clarified.