The Hindu Business Line : All set for circular train ride on Kailasagiri

AN INSIDE VIEW of a luxury coach of the circular train brought to Kailasagiri in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. Three coaches, each with a seating capacity of 30, will be plied on the 2-km track laid on the hill. The coaches were built at Vijayawada wagon workshop. The project is likely to be launched by the end of March. - K.R. Deepak

Visakhapatnam March 12 The stage is set for the introduction of a circular train on Kailasagiri, a popular tourist spot here, by the month-end. The attractive, luxury coaches for the train arrived here on Sunday. They were built at Vijayawada and brought here by road.

The Rs 4-crore circular train project was awarded to Sarada Roadways on BOT basis by the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority for a period of 22 years. Mr V. Gopalakrishna Prasad, the CEO of the company, said the train would be launched by the end of the month.

Three coaches - one AC coach and the other two non-AC - would be plied on the 2-km track being laid on the hilltop. "The project should have been commissioned by the end of February. But the uneven terrain necessitated several changes in alignments and hence the one-month delay," he said.

Commenting on the attractive coaches, he said it took ten months for him to design the coaches.

"The transparent sidewalls are made of tinted and toughened sliding glass. The panel is of galvanised iron sheets, while aluminium alloy is used for elevation. The vinyl flooring, the foam seats, the flickering lights on either side of the coach and the soft music make the half-hour ride a pleasant experience to the visitors," he said.

There will be three stations and stops along the route, for visitors to catch a panoramic glimpse of the city with the Bay of Bengal in the backdrop. "I am sure it will be a hit with the tourists," he added.

There is also a ropeway at Kailasagiri.

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All set for circular train ride on Kailasagiri