The railway coach, which has undergone a transformational change from its original brick-red colour to the existing sombre blue template, will once again undergo a bout of renovation, for trains running under the purview of the South Central Railway (SCR).
The railway officials’ search for an alternative to modify both the interior and exterior of the coaches resulted in this new initiative, wherein the latter would be designed to suit international standards. In this regard, SCR officials have initially proposed to refurbish Tirumala Express, showcasing tourist attractions of Andhra Pradesh, alongside its rich art and cultural heritage.
“We have chosen Tirumala Express, owing to the vast area it covers across the State. Travelling a distance of 736 km between Tirupati and Visakhapatnam, it passes through seven railway junctions of the SCR, and transforming it with a contemporary look and feel would be the best way ahead,” said a senior railway official.
Speaking to The Hindu, the official said that the interior of the train would host eco-friendly bio-toilets and showers, luxurious seating surrounded by sophisticated designs and several such facilities. Whereas on the exterior, the officials are mulling to showcase tourist attractions such as Kalamkari art form of Srikalahasthi, Chandragiri Fort of Tirupati, Sriharikota, Annavaram Temple, Kanakadurga Temple of Vijayawada, Kolleru Bird Sanctuary, Hindustan Shipyard, Godavari Arch Bridge of Rajamahendravaram etc., in the form of detailed poster-based stickers.
As a part of its initiative to promote places of prominence and arts & culture, the Andhra Pradesh Tourism has teamed up with SCR for this project and hence the initiative. The finalised designs of the locations would be set up on each compartment, ensuring that every coach will represent a unique place. Meanwhile, as Tirumala Express does not have a First AC coach, the officials will be implementing a similar project on Narayanadri Express, which has the required coach, with priority on the former train.
SCR General Manager Vinod Kumar Yadav and Divisional Railway Manager (Guntakal) Vijay Pratap Singh have requested the Tirupati-based architectural firm We Design Architects to furnish more models of the designs.
In the first phase, interiors of the AC coaches (on both the trains) would be remodelled and will be gradually extended to the remaining coaches and subsequently to other trains. The project originally planned to be unveiled by Srivari Brahmotsavams in Tirumala, however, owing to some timely constraints, will see the light by October 2.