THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote a letter to the railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, demanding stops for Vande Bharat Express in Thiruvalla and Tirur.
The Vande Bharat train runs from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasargod and covers 11 districts.
The CMS explained that the stops located in the middle and north of the state would be a huge boon for the passengers. He also pointed out that the railways would earn more ticket revenue from these stops.
At present, the train stops only at seven locations: Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam Town, Thrissur, Shoranur, Kozhikode, and Kannur.
The maiden run of the Vande Bharat Express, the first in state, was on May 25 and a festive affair with children, train enthusiasts and the general public turning up in droves to catch a glimpse of the premium locomotive at various stations.
ALSO READ | When Rahul met PM Modi on board Vande Bharat
Kathakali and mohiniyattam performances and panchavadyam were also organised at the stations.
The train was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reached Thiruvananthapuram Central station with Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and MP Shashi Tharoor.
Despite being 40 minutes behind schedule, the PM interacted with school students, who were among those invited to take a ride on the train. The students were selected based on the 'Vande Bharat' essay and painting competitions.
The express train had recently been pelted with a stone while passing through Thirunavaya and Tirur.