THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP said the Center will grant one more Vande Bharat Express for Kerala. BJP state chief K Surendran said Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has given an assurance in this regard. He also claimed that the action was taken after he had given a letter requesting for one more train. The new service will be on the Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram route.

‘This is the Onam gift of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Keralites. Kerala received the first Vande Bharat Express got as Vishukainettam with both hands. The center granted the second Vande Bharat seeing the rush in the first one. K Surendran said the Center took urgent action after the letter demanding a second Vande Bharat was given.

Among the 23 Vande Bharat Expresses running across the country, the train operating service in Kerala ranks first and second in the number of passengers. The Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat service is ranked first. All states with electrified railways were given Vande Bharat by the end of June.