The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Common man’s ‘cool’ train

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Sunday, Feb 03, 2008
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Common man’s ‘cool’ train

Staff Reporter

Garib Rath serves up top class facilities at low cost and high speed

The fully air-conditioned Garib Rath is 25 to 40 per cent cheaper than three-tier AC tickets
It has modular toilets and specially designed facilities for wheel-chair passengers

— Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

Saying ‘go’: Union Minister of State for Railways R. Velu (left) and Union Minister of State for Transport K.H. Muniyappa flags off Garib Rath Express at Yeshwanthpur Railway Station in Bangalore on Saturday.

BANGALORE: This train promises to be a ‘chariot for the poor’ making long distance travel cheaper and comfortable. The Garib Rath, a first for South Western Railway, connecting Yeshwanthpur with Secunderabad, was flagged off by Union Minister of State for Railways R. Velu on Saturday.

Announced in the Union Budget as a pilot project, Garib Rath offers top-class facilities at a low cost. It travels at a speed of 130 kmph. Speaking during the flag-off ceremony here at Yeshwanthpur Railway Station, Mr. Velu said: “We have launched four Garib Raths last year and eight more will be flagged off before March.”

The fully air-conditioned Garib Raths are 25 to 40 per cent cheaper than their three-tier AC counterparts elsewhere and have 17 per cent more seats than the regular trains. He said that the Garib Raths were running to full capacity and has been successful so far. “We are concerned about the travelling public and the train is for the common man,” he added.

The thrice-a-week Yeshwanthpur-Secunderabad Garib Rath will leave here on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8.30 p.m. and will reach Secunderabad at 8.35 a.m the next day. It will leave Secunderabad on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at 7.17 p.m. and will arrive here at 7 a.m.

Among the features available in Garib Raths include satellite-enabled global positioning system, which enables passengers to ascertain the next arrival station, current running speed and time of arrival at next station. It also has a provision for mobile charging, accident emergency light and modular toilets.

Less noise

Sound insulation floor board has been provided for better noise reduction inside the coach.

Further, it has specially designed facilities for wheel chair borne passengers in a separate air-conditioned compartment. The coaches have a carrying capacity of 78 passengers as against the conventional 64 berths.

K.H. Muniyappa, Union Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways and South Western Railway General Manager Pravin Kumar were present on the occasion.

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