Rajdhani Express gets an image makeover
After years of complaints about hygiene, stale food, inadequate facilities on trains, the Indian Railways have virtually put luxury on tracks, with the Western Railway's premier Rajdhani Express getting refurbished coaches under the government's "Operation Swarn".
"In a bid to enhance travelling experience and riding comfort of its passengers, we have refurbished the Rajdhani Express," said Ravinder Bhakar, chief spokesperson of Western Railways.
The new Rajdhani Express has been done up with designer vinyl wrap on the walls of the passages, entrances, toilets and ceilings. The vinyl wraps have toughened coating so that people can't damage it.
The seating area now has a "pleasing ambience" with LED lights and paintings on the walls of the compartments, said Mr Bhakar, and the washrooms have been fitted with branded wash basins, toilet paper dispensers, hygienic toilet seat cleaners and premium quality soaps. Besides, the floors have been covered with scrapper matting to keep them clean, Mr Bhakar added.
The new look Rajdhani Express comes weeks after the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express got coaches, christened 'Anubhuti', with aircraft-like interiors.
Under the railway ministry's "Operation Swarn", the Mumbai-Delhi Rajdhani Express, Sealdah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express and the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express have been upgraded in the first phase and subsequently more trains will be identified in various sectors.
The Indian Railways have identified at least ten parametres such as timeliness, clean linen, coach interiors, quality of food, hygienic toilets, and security for giving a complete makeover to the trains.
After the Union Budget 2018, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said, he is not looking for more funds but plans to optimise on what he already has and the Indian Railways is looking at innovative ways to finance its expenditure.