Railway ups ante; Vande Bharat will soon start service to 'heaven on earth'

NEW DELHI: The postcard beauty, undulating lakes and the fairytale alleyways give this place the adorable title of 'heaven on earth'. 'If there is a heaven on earth, it is here, it is here, it is here' – Mughal emperor Shah Jahan once described Kashmir after being gripped in its beauty.

Kashmir has now changed beyond words. Just make a visit to this topmost tip of India and you will witness the mad rush among tourists which is unprecedented. Due to security reasons and constant fear of terrorist attacks, Kashmir was infamous for possessing unparalleled beauty but for all this time was avoided by people. But now, the place has turned into a tourist hotspot not just for people within India, but for all around the world. Travel agencies are gaining profits as there has been a huge response to Kashmir trips among Indians for the past two years.

And now, a new report mentions Indian government planning a new Vande Bharat service to Kashmir by next year. Apart from Kashmir, Vande Bharat will also make its grand debut in the northeast by the next financial year. Railway sources say that the service will start once electrification is completed on both tracks.

Once the Jammu-Srinagar route becomes operational, the Vande Bharat will cruise through these tracks. The entire work on this route is expected to be completed by the end of this financial year. The new coaches of Vande Bharat will be made in a way to suit the icy weather of Kashmir. This will help make the travel comfortable. Unlike other Vande Bharat coaches, these trains will have a heating system. The train is manufactured by Chennai-based Integral Coach Factory.

Along with Kashmir, Vande Bharat will also extend its services to North Eastern states. In the first phase, Vande Bharat service will go to the states of Tripura and Meghalaya. The train service will start in the next financial year. The eight-compartment train will have Executive AC Chaircar and AC Chaircar seating systems.