Kashmir gets its first train coaches on Thursday exclusively meant for pleasure trips through beautiful fields and orchards with the peaks of the Pir Panjal range in the backdrop.
Vistadome coaches were added on the south Kashmir’s Banihal and central Kashmir’s Srinagar route. It offers a glass ceiling and large windows to allow passengers a 360-degree view, which will allow appreciation of the beauty of the breathtaking landscapes on the way.
Throwing open these coaches, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “Kashmir is witnessing a discernible change on the ground. Various development projects have been ongoing in Jammu and Kashmir in the railways sector. Jammu and Kashmir, in the last nine years, has changed a lot and the change is discernible on the ground.”
Speaking on the occasion, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for introducing Vistadome train services in the Kashmir Valley. Chief Ministers of Assam and Tripura also joined the ceremony through video-conferencing.
“Vistadome is a symbol that facilities available in developed countries are now accessible to people of J&K. The state-of-the-art Vistadome will attract tourists in large numbers and open up more livelihood generation avenues for the people living in the cities, towns and villages connected to all the railway stations en route,” Mr. Sinha said.
He said the services will have a profound impact on tourism and will contribute to the economic growth and cultural enrichment of the region.
Member of Parliament Dr. Farooq Abdullah also was present on the occasion. He described the Kashmir-Katra rail link “beneficial for people of the country”.
“Everyone will be able to travel without any inconvenience. Highway gets shut during inclement weather so rail connectivity will be a major boost for J&K. The new coach, which was inaugurated, will also be beneficial for locals as railway travel is cheaper than road travel,” Dr. Abdullah said.
