Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on January 23 to inaugurate and lay foundation stones for a series of major development initiatives. During his visit, the Prime Minister will also address a public gathering, highlighting the government’s commitment to inclusive growth, technological progress, and improved citizen services.
A key focus of the visit is enhancing rail connectivity in the region. PM Modi will flag off four new train services, including three Amrit Bharat Express trains connecting Nagercoil-Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram-Tambaram, and Thiruvananthapuram-Charlapalli, alongside a passenger service between Thrissur and Guruvayur. These routes are expected to improve connectivity with neighboring states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, facilitating tourism, trade, education, and employment opportunities.
In support of urban livelihoods, the Prime Minister will launch the PM SVANidhi Credit Card, a UPI-linked, interest-free revolving credit facility for street vendors. This initiative aims to provide instant liquidity, promote digital payments, and help beneficiaries establish formal credit histories. Additionally, PM Modi will distribute PM SVANidhi loans to around one lakh vendors in Kerala, continuing the program’s mission of enabling first-time access to formal credit for urban informal workers since 2020.
In science and innovation, PM Modi will lay the foundation for the CSIR–National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship Hub. The hub will focus on life sciences, biotechnology, sustainable packaging, green hydrogen, and integrating traditional knowledge systems such as Ayurveda. Its goal is to foster startups, facilitate technology transfer, and convert research into market-ready solutions through global collaboration.
Healthcare infrastructure will also be strengthened with the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art Radiosurgery Centre at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, providing minimally invasive, precise treatments for complex brain disorders.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the new Poojappura Head Post Office, a modern, technology-enabled facility offering postal, banking, insurance, and digital services to improve citizen-centric service delivery in Thiruvananthapuram.
