Integral Coach Factory ready to roll out first ‘Anubhuti’ coach

Replicating the interiors of the aircraft, there are reading lamps and a button to call coach attendants.
The plush interior of the newly-designed ‘Anubhuti’ coach | Express
The plush interior of the newly-designed ‘Anubhuti’ coach | Express

CHENNAI: Four years after it was proposed, the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) here is finally set to roll out ‘Anubhuti’ coach, which promises to offer passengers ambience and facilities almost on a par with an aircraft. Extra foot space, recliner chair, LCD screens on every seat, personal mobile charging facility, and sensor-enabled modular toilets are some of the features of the coach.

The luxury coach was announced in the 2013 railway budget. Express on Friday had the opportunity to have a sneak peek of the first coach that is now almost ready. The 56-seat capacity coach, with special exterior colour scheme and  costing around `3.5 crore each, is built on the Linke Hoffman Busch platform.
The ICF, likely to produce 10 such coaches this year, will dispatch the first coach to the Western Railway in the next few weeks. It is expected that one Anubhuti-type coach will be added to select daytime premium trains such as the Shatabdi Express. Passenger ticket charges of ‘Anubhuti’  class will be considerably higher than the existing AC chair car and executive chair car fares.

It is evident that Anubhuti is markedly different from the existing type of coaches. Every seat sports a nine-inch LCD screen with pre-loaded film and audio content. Headphone jacks are also provided.  At present, none of the trains has such an entertainment facility.

There is also a GPS-linked passenger information system on board.  Real-time train information, such as distance, speed and approaching stations, will be displayed through two large screens placed in the middle of the coach.

A factory official on condition of anonymity said a stand-out feature will be its anti-graffiti paint. “For the first time, we have applied an anti-graffiti coating on these coaches. Hence it will be easy for washing away graffiti or other markings.”

Replicating the interiors of the aircraft, there are reading lamps and a button to call coach attendants.
Passengers need no longer fight for charging points as USB and AC ports are available in every seat for convenience. Much attention has been paid to touch-free modular toilets.
“Sensor-enabled water taps, air dryer and soap dispenser have been installed to ensure optimal utilisation of these resources,” the official said.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com