View from the top: Kashmir trains to get glass ceilings

Your rail ride through the snowcapped mountains and breathtaking rural landscape in Kashmir Valley is going to be a different experience next month onwards.

The Indian Railways is all set to introduce glass roof-top coaches on the Kashmir rail line in order to woo tourists. The vistadome coach, announced in June last year, for Jammu and Kashmir has already arrived and it will be introduced in May, officials said.

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is introducing the see-through glass coaches in association with J&K tourism department. The 40-seater coach would provide an enjoyable experience to passengers, officials said.

The vistadome coaches in Kashmir have been introduced after its successful run in Araku valley and Western Ghats between Mumbai and Goa.

The air-conditioned coach has large glass windows, glass roof, observation lounge and rotatable seats allowing passengers to experience breathtakingly beautiful locations and sites en route the 135 km rail track from Baramulla to Banihal.

These coaches coach also have double wide-reclining seats which can be rotated 360 degrees for a better panoramic view of surroundings. It also has glass-domed ceilings, automatic sliding doors, luggage racks, LED screens for entertainment and a GPS-enabled information system. Initially, one 40-seat coach will be attached to the train and others will be attached after gauging the response.

The state tourism department also plans to involve local travel agents who can customize packages for travelers to Kashmir.

Sources said IRCTC has ordered 60 such coaches to attract tourists. Last year, the railway ministry also introduced a see-through Vistadome coach on Mumbai-Goa route.

Apart from the glass coaches, railways have also decided introducing air-conditioned coaches to the mountain railways to attract tourists