Kerala Governor, CM Vijayan welcome PM Modi in Thiruvananthapuram

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday arrived at Thiruvananthapuram from Kerala's Kochi on the second day of his two-day visit to launch multiple developmental projects.

The Prime Minister was welcomed by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.

"PM @narendramodi landed in Thiruvananthapuram a short while ago. He was welcomed by @KeralaGovernor Shri Arif Mohammed Khan, CM Shri @pinarayivijayan , Union Minister Shri @AshwiniVaishnaw and Lok Sabha MP Shri @ShashiTharoor," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.

PM Modi then held a roadshow as he arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday to launch the state's first Vande Bharat Express. The Prime Minister waved his hands to the people who thronged on the roadside to welcome him to the city.

PM Modi who landed in Kerala for a two-day visit on Monday, also held a mega roadshow in Kochi. Sporting traditional Kerala attire, PM Modi walked through the streets of Kochi.

People queued up on both sides of the road and cheered for the Prime Minister. They also showered flower petals on him. PM Modi was also seen shaking hands with people. After walking for over 15 minutes, the security personnel escorted him to an SUV.

PM Modi is on a two-day visit to Kerala where he will launch a number of developmental projects. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off Kerala's first Vande Bharat Express at Thiruvananthapuram Central Station today.

According to Prime Minister's Office, the Vande Bharat train will cover 11 districts namely Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasargod. Vande Bharat Express is an indigenously manufactured, semi-high-speed, self-propelled train set.

The train has state-of-the-art passenger amenities, providing passengers with a faster, more comfortable and more convenient travel experience. Prime Minister Modi, who is in Kerala today, will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate various projects worth more than Rs 3,200 crore.

Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Kochi Water Metro, one of its kind project that connects 10 islands around Kochi through battery-operated electric hybrid boats for seamless connectivity with the city. Apart from Kochi Water Metro, rail electrification of the Dindigul-Palani-Palakkad section will also be dedicated by the Prime Minister.

During the event, PM Modi will also lay the foundation of various rail projects including the redevelopment of Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, and Varkala Sivagiri railway stations; comprehensive development of Thiruvananthapuram area including Nemon and Kochuveli and increasing of sectional speed of Thiruvananthapuram-Shoranur section.

Prime Minister will further lay the foundation stone of the Digital Science Park in Thiruvananthapuram.