Kashmir has been riddled with conflict for so long now that the rate of tourists visiting the breathtaking valley has dwindled down to almost none. Once a tourist haven, Kashmir’s economy has taken a major hit following the unrest in the area. So in an effort to boost tourism, the Union Railway Minister along with the Chief Minister have proposed the installment of a 40-seater vistadome train that will run through the valley. Currently, there are only two other Vistadome train routes in the country — the Mumbai-Goa line and the Visakhapatnam-Araku line. “Tourists need to enjoy the beauty of the Valley,” Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu told The Indian Express. “The Chief Minister and I have talked about how to increase tourism by virtue of Railways. So, we will soon start a Vistadome train because I do not think there is any other place in the whole world like Kashmir. We have placed an order with our coach factories for the Vistadome train.”
The Vistadome coaches consist of a state-of-the-art glass roof that has electrically controlled opalescence (the transparency of the glass can be controlled) making it possible for the passengers to enjoy panoramic views of the Valley while seated in plush push-back rotating chairs–in fact that there are also special observation lounges to escalate your sightseeing experience. The train comes fully equipped with a GPS-based information system, LED lights, multiple television screens for infotainment, and automatic sliding compartment doors, according to The Better India. The Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, has been commissioned to make only four of these Vistadome Coaches, two of which will run in Kashmir.
The Union Minister also announced that the trains will serve traditional Kashmiri Wazwan cuisine. The locals are passionate about and proud of their Wazwan cuisine, and serving it to passengers in the Vistadome Coaches, with the Valley spread out all around them, will be the ultimate Kashmiri experience.Since these coaches are equipped to handle all weather conditions, the train will run throughout the year. However, it is still to be decided if it will cover the entire 112 km stretch from Banihal to Baramulla, and whether the train will be operational all seven days of the week.