No more blue coaches: Indian trains are getting a makeover
The Indian Railways is all set to get a makeover, and the dark blue coaches of the trains will be a thing of the past soon. The new color scheme - beige and brown - will apply to all mail/express service trains while premium trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Duronto, and special service trains like Tejas and Gatimaan will retain their older colors.
A makeover of coaches was long overdue, says Railways official
"A complete makeover of coaches was long overdue and the new color scheme was applied in trains after it was finally approved by Railways Minister Piyush Goyal," told a senior Railway Ministry official to IANS.
Delhi-Pathankot Express will sport the new look first
The new color scheme was developed in-house by the Northern Railways, and the freshly painted Delhi-Pathankot Express, with its 16 coaches, will be the first train to sport the new look. It will be rolled-out by the end of this month. The present dark blue of the Indian Railways was introduced in the 1990s to replace the earlier brick-red color scheme.
The Railways will have to repaint 30,000 coaches
However, the Railways now has a gargantuan task ahead - repainting 30,000 coaches in the new color scheme. The makeover is just one step in the Railways' recent attempts to revamp its network and improve the travelling experience of passengers. Apart from changes to the exterior of trains, the Railways says it has initiated steps to improve interiors and provide more facilities.
Interior changes being brought about by the Railways
"The replacement of all toilets with bio-toilets, providing mobile chargers at each berth, comfortable seats are some of the changes undertaken in trains. In fact, a provision has also been activated to solicit passengers' response and suggestions for improving service," the official added.
