Glass top coaches in the making
Eleven projects, costing Rs.824.80 crore, have been sanctioned during 2017-18 for improving tourism sector in the country.
With these developments, a total number of 67 projects have been sanctioned till date for an amount of Rs.5,648.71 crore under Swadesh Darshan Scheme.
Three projects, worth Rs.98.84 crore, have been sanctioned under National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive’ (PRASHAD) Scheme.
With this three in 2017-18, a total number of 21 projects have been sanctioned till date for an amount of Rs.587.29 crore under this Scheme, said Tourism Ministry.
The Ministry also gave Administrative Approval and Expenditure Sanction during 2017 for setting up of State Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition at Jhalawar, Udaipur and Dholpur in Rajasthan and Food Craft Institute at Deoghar, Jharkand.
An approval has also been accorded for setting up of Applied Training Centre at Institute of Hotel Management, Shillong. FCI Rewa, Madhya Pradesh has become operational form academic year 2017-18.
The Ministry has also sanctioned Rs.2,499.98 Lakh for developing tourist amenities at Madgaon, Karmali and Thivim railway stations in Goa considering the importance of the Konkan Rail route from tourism angle.
Konkan Railway is one of the most memorable train journeys in the country on account of the vistas that one gets to see and the excellent on board services on these trains.
The Ministry, as part of its Rail Tourism Policy, is collaborating with Railway Ministry for manufacturing of three glass to coaches to be deployed on scenic rail routes of the country.
These glass top coaches are fitted with extra wide comfortable seats, wide windows, single observation window at one end, glass roof, rotatable seats, automated sliding doors, mini pantry and wider body side door.
Two glass top coaches were launched in 2017 on the Vishakhapatnam – Araku Valley and Dadar to Madgaon route. The third glass top coach is being refurbished to make it suitable for plying on the Qazigund – Baramullah route in Jammu and Kashmir. fii-news.com
