Some political mavens ridiculed Vande Bharat for Kerala saying, the educated people of the state won’t splash this big money to travel from Kasargod to Thiruvananthapuram. Unfortunately, it is sad times for such 'acute' political minds as the statistics show it’s the southern state that is on the summit of the most occupancy rate in Vande Bharat trains.

Railway gave its tacit admission about people mostly duping authorities and traveling for free in the Northern part of India. We know it has been practiced for ages with impunity. However, Kerala is an anomaly and business is sprouting here. Try booking a seat in trains months before in Kerala and chances are high about you failing; it will be a solace to at least reach into the early weighting list. Such is the demand for railways, and the people here are genteel enough to work in conventional ways booking tickets but not enjoying the thrills of free travel. Albeit the high demand, the railway has been denying Kerala its true place for years. The Vande Bharat also came late but the state expressed no resentment for the delay. However, in a bid to not detour from their normally held stance, Railway is again trying ways to upset Kerala by giving away the allotted second Vande Bharat train to Tamil Nadu.

Former minister O Rajagopal-started Nemom terminal project is still in shambles. Major reforms announced are moving ahead at a sloth pace, giving hints about the lax shown especially for works in Kerala. The southern railway is strongly under the arms of the Tamil lobby. Kerala has not shown any resistance lest any concern for the ‘hijack’ from Tamil Nadu. The silence has been a boon for the Tamil Nadu lobby as they are sure not to be questioned for the shrewd games behind the veneer of reforms.

Kerala's promised second Vande Bharat train will end up landing in Tamil Nadu as the situation progresses. The earlier allowed Vande Bharat in Thiruvananthapuram is expected to be shifted to the Nagercoil-Thirunelveli route to Madurai. If not for any intrusion from the Kerala government, the trains will holler horns to steer through Tamil Nadu rails.

As of now, there are three Vande Bharat trains servicing Tamil Nadu. One from Chennai to Mysore and Coimbatore. The third allowed train will work from Chennai to Tirupati. The railway is also thinking about allowing a fourth to Tamil Nadu which will see the train servicing between Chennai to Andhra’s Vijayawada.

The lone Vande Bharat which was allotted for Kerala is shuttling between Kasargod and Thiruvananthapuram. Melapalayam in Kanyakumari district also comes under the Thiruvananthapuram division. The railway is pondering moves to run trains between these areas, which indeed come inside the Thiruvananthapuram division but discreetly cover only places in Tamil Nadu. The southern railway also has given tacit approval for this route map for the next Vande Bharat.