Hyderabad: The first double-decker AC train in the state is likely to roll out from the city in a month. The train will operate on the Kacheguda-Tirupati and the Kacheguda-Guntur routes, twice a week, as announced in the Railway Budget-2014. “After a one-day trial and clearance from the Railway Safety Commission, the train will be officially launched from Kacheguda. We are working to introduce this double-decker service within a month,” said a spokesperson for the South Central Railway.
The journey to Tirupati via Kurnool will take around 10 hours and to Guntur, five-and-a-half hours. Unlike most Tirupati train services that operate at night, the Kachedguda-Tirupati double-decker train will be a comfortable day-time journey. The train will have 14 CZDAC coaches (AC chair-car) and three power cars and will be equipped with safety features such as VESDA (Very Early Smoke Detection with Alarm system). VESDA is being introduced in a double-decker train for the first time in the Indian Railways.
The air-conditioned chair car will accommodate 70 per cent more passengers. “A double-decker coach accommodates 120 passengers against 70 in conventional coaches,” said the official. The coach is ready at the Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala, Punjab. A model coach arrived at Secunderabad Railway Station on Thursday was inspected by the Minister of State for Railways.
