THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vande Bharat has to avoid 336 curves to run properly from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod. Railways have given the contract for straightening the curves within eight months. The 381 crore project does not need to acquire additional land.

Once the work is completed, Vande Bharat will run from Thiruvananthapuram to Ernakulam at a speed of 110 km, from Ernakulam to Shornur at 90 km and from Shornur to Kasaragod at a speed of 130 km. The timetable will also be revised accordingly. At present, the speed of Vande Bharat is 70 km per hour from Thiruvananthapuram to Ernakulam via Kottayam, 80 km per hour via Alappuzha, 70 km per hour from Ernakulam to Shornur and 110 km per hour from Shornur to Kasaragod. Vande Bharat can run at a speed of up to 160 km per hour. Vande Bharat is in high demand in Kerala despite going at such a low speed. If it can move faster, the demand will increase. Railways hope to get the sleeper coaches of Vandebharat to Kerala.

According to the railway report, 86 curves on the railway track from Thiruvananthapuram to Ernakulam will have to be reconstructed to increase the speed. Tenders have been invited for the completion of the bend using machines. Once it is completed, Vande Bharat will run from Thiruvananthapuram to Ernakulam in an hour and a half.

There are 250 curves from Shornur to Mangalore. The number of curves is 81 from Shornur to Kozhikode, 84 from Kozhikode to Kannur and 85 from Kannur to Kasaragod. The tender has been given to complete all reconstruction of these curves in eight months.

A total of four services are operated daily from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram and from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod with two Vande Bharat services in the morning and evening each.