SRINAGAR: Tourists and train commuters can now soak in breathtaking scenes of snow-decked mountains, the skies overhead, saffron and mustard fields as well as panoramic views of pristine nature while using the train in the Valley with the Northern Railways set to launch an all-weather glass-ceiling AC train (vistadome) in Kashmir.
The state-of-the-art Vistadome coaches, manufactured by the Indian Railways, is designed to provide passengers with travel comfort and offers spacious windows and seats for sightseeing. A Railways official said the trial run of the Vistadome coaches was conducted successfully in Kashmir this year and now green signal from the authorities are being awaited for its launch in the Valley.
“It will be a single 40-seat AC coach. The train is meant for both the tourists and the locals,” he said.
The glass-ceiling train with large glass windows has been designed for sightseeing with spacious windows and seats in the upcoming coaches. The train will have features like LED lights, rotatable seats and inbuilt GPS-based information system to provide the passengers an aerial view and state-of-art infotainment system.
“The travellers whether locals or tourists will find the trip to be comfortable and enjoyable due to its glass roof, LED lights, rotating seats, and GPS-based info system. The coach will have automatic sliding doors that easily opens up and closes for the comfort of the passengers,” the official said. Vistadome coaches, he said, has been designed and manufactured with world-class safety features. “It is equipped with a CCTV camera for the safety of goods and passengers on board.”
The aim of introducing the see-through and glass-ceiling train in the Valley is to promote tourism and woo national and foreign tourists to the region, which is called “Paradise on Earth”. It will give further fillip to J&K’s tourism sector. “Anybody travelling in the glass-ceiling train can enjoy the scenic locales of the picturesque Valley. It will be a lifetime experience for the travelers to see snow-decked mountains and plains in winters, lush green fields, saffron and mustard fields in full bloom in summers and the golden
yellow chinar leaves spread all over during the fall season,” an official said.
The coaches are equipped with air conditioning to deal with extreme cold in winter and hot summers in the Valley. “It will be an all-weather train and can chug both in winter and summer months without any difficulties,” the official said. The service will ply from Banihal to Baramulla stretch in 90 minutes. The cost of tickets of the Vistadome train is being worked out, officials said. The officials hope that the Vistadome coaches will be a hit among the travellers flocking to the Valley.