The Railways showcased its first ‘Swarn’ train (gold standard) on Monday, 6th November 2017. The New Delhi-Kathgodam Shatabdi Express was the first to be launched as part of the Railways’ ‘Swarn’ project, a 25-crore project which aims to renovate India’s premium trains, including 15 Rajdhani and 15 Shatabdi trains.
These trains are getting a new makeover at a cost of INR 50 lakh each. From new on-board entertainment to trolley service for catering, new coach interiors and clean toilets with automatic doors, these trains would have luxe amenities and facilities. Security will also be enhanced by installing CCTV cameras and deputing more RPF personnel. Punctuality of these trains has also been identified as a focus area. Also, Railways has introduced numerous new additions to the catering menu.
This project was launched during the tenure of Suresh Prabhu as Railway Minister and focused on three major areas – aesthetics, hygiene and entertainment. To that effect, the train interiors have been redone, odour control systems have been installed in all coaches and high-speed Wi-Fi hotspots have been provided.
