Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Nov 24: Keen to revive the image of Kashmir as international tourist destination, the Union Tourism Ministry has given its formal approval for making of panoramic-view coaches of world class standard, which will chug along the Qazigund-Baramulla route.
Top official sources told EXCELSIOR that the formal approval was given yesterday by the Union Minister of State for Tourism K. Chiranjivi after detailed deliberation with officials of his Ministry and Engineers belonging to the Railway Ministry.
“The nod from the Union Tourism Ministry has paved the way for introduction of panoramic-view coaches made of glass by the Railway Department and it will be for the first time in the country that such coaches will be used for travel by passengers”, sources said adding, “in fact, India will only be the fifth country in the world to use such coaches on rail tracks”.
Sources said the idea of having glass-encased coaches was actually brainchild of Union Minister, K Chiranjivi and discussion had been going on with the Railway Engineers for the past several months. “The Minister, who is also Rajya Sabha Member from Andhra Pradesh, actually wanted specially designed coaches for VISTA, a special tourist train from Visakhapatnam to Araku area. The objective was to make the travel to Araku by train memorable as the train passes through long tunnels along the hills and Valleys, which gives exhilarating experience to tourists”, sources said.
Source added, “during the course of discussions between the Union Tourism Secretary, Parvez Dewan and engineers of the Railway including Satya Prakash and Nikki Anand, the proposal for having similar panoramic view coaches for Qazigund to Baramulla Railway line also cropped up in view of the scenic train journeys in this part of Kashmir”.
Dwelling further, sources said the Tourism Ministry told the Railway Engineers to study all the implication of the projects and come up with the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for such trains. “As per the existing proposal, two such trains have been proposed in Andhra Pradesh while one has been proposed for Kashmir”.
“The most distinctive feature of these coaches would be the huge panoramic side windows and glass skylights as well, so the passengers don’t miss any of the scenery. The objective is to have the most elegant panoramic view coaches with first class comfort”, sources asserted.
Commenting on the financial implications of the project, sources said, “the Qazigund-Baramulla railway coaches will cost nearly Rs 3.5 crores, while the trains meant for Araku will cost nearly Rs 7 crores. As per initial estimates, the Union Tourism Ministry would release the first installment of these funds to the Railway Department by January end, 2014.”
“The Railway coaches would be of world class standard and the fare for travel in these coaches would be that of First Class travel. Tourism Secretary, in his meeting has categorically conveyed to Railway engineer that look and feel of these coaches should be at par with those being used internationally whether in Switzerland or Canada”, sources remarked.
Such Railway coaches are presently used in the Glacier Express and Bernina Express, which are two of the most scenic train journeys in Switzerland. The panoramic view coaches are made of wide high windows and often a ceiling, which is largely made of glass as well so that tourists don’t miss out anything, when travelling in one of these coaches. Such glass – encased coaches are also currently being used in some parts of Canada.
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