Passengers in the to-be-introduced Hassan-Yeshwantpur-Hassan Intercity Express can expect greater travel comfort as the South Western Railway is planning to deploy the all-new Deen Dayalu coaches for the train.
The SWR, re-tweeting Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu’s tweet on Deen Dayalu coaches on Tuesday, said the coaches would be used for the new train, which will be introduced after the formal inauguration of the 166-km railway line between Bengaluru and Hassan.
SWR’s chief PRO E. Vijaya told The Hindu that the zone has received a few Deen Dayalu general class coaches and, tentatively, six of them would be used for the Hassan-Yeshwantpur Intercity Express. A few more general sitting class coaches would complete the formation of the rake for the new train, she said.
Added comfort
The Deen Dayalu coaches, launched in July last following Mr. Prabhu’s announcement in the 2016-17 Railway Budget, will have all the features of the existing general class coaches and more.
The coaches, being manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, are fitted with a water filtration system to provide potable water. They have additional hand-holds in the doorway area, cushioned luggage rack instead of the conventional bench-type one, bio-toilets, LED lights, fire extinguishers, provision for coat-hooks, and interior panelling with aluminium composite panels.
The coaches also have earmarked seating facility with a support bar near the coach entrance for the differently-abled. The exterior is painted with orange colour bands (Z-shaped) with anti-graffiti coating.
The fare for these coaches will be that of the side and would be normal general second class.
Ms. Vijaya said the Rani Chennamma Express and the Bengaluru-Shivamogga tri-weekly express have been running with a couple of Deen Dayalu coaches for a month.
Facilities at Sakleshpur
Meanwhile, rail advocacy groups have urged SWR to provide primary maintenance (pit-line) and watering facilities at Sakleshpur. Such facilities would enable the Railways to introduce trains from Sakleshpur to different parts of the State, said Sanjeev Dyamannavar of Prajaa Raag.
