The Vistadome carriage will now provide passengers on the Mumbai-Pune route with a panoramic view of the ghats. On the outstation train Deccan Express, which runs between the two cities daily, the Central Railway (CR) will introduce a Vistadome coach.
The Vistadome coach is a 40-seater 360-degree panoramic coach. The coaches have large windows and rotatable seats that spin 360 degrees to provide passengers with a greater view of the scenery. These tourist coaches contain a variety of tourist-friendly features. They come equipped with Wi-Fi and a passenger information system. The coaches also offer a glass roof observation lounge for passengers to see the lovely scenery and a wider viewing room with a giant glass rooftop.
The coaches also contain 12 LCD television displays, a mini-fridge, automatic sliding compartment doors, an oven, a juicer grinder, and ceramic tiled restrooms. The coach fare for the Deccan Express has not yet been determined, but it is likely to be higher than the standard ticket rate.
The new design vistadome tourist coach, developed by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) had completed the 180 kmph trial run in December 2020. The carriage was first launched on the Mumbai-Goa line in 2017 to allow passengers on the Jan Shatabdi Express to see the Western Ghat.
The Dadar-Madgaon express rake will be transferred to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and integrated with the Deccan Express rake that runs between CSMT and Pune. Passengers will be able to enjoy the view of the ghats section from the Vistadome coach, stated the Central Railway. The Deccan Express, on the other hand, is now not running due to Maharashtra’s coronavirus travel restrictions, which have caused the train to be cancelled due to low occupancy.
Passengers’ associations have praised the decision, predicting that the Vistadome carriage will become popular along the railway line. Stating that some people travel between Mumbai and Pune daily for work, and if railway services are available, the coach will become immensely popular among them. The railway line between Lonavala and Khandala is attractive, which would attract many visitors who come to Maharashtra and travel by outstation trains. The Vistadome coach should be introduced in other trains, notably the legendary Deccan Queen. The carriages will provide the Central Railway with a strong source of revenue.
