News Analysis India

Tag: Snowfall in Kashmir

  • Kashmir’s Vistadome Train: A Swiss-Like Experience To Snow Cladded Valley |

    New Delhi: Indian Railways has launched a new gift for Kashmir, which has boosted the tourism industry in the valley. The railways has introduced a Vistadome train, which has a glass ceiling and offers a 360-degree view of the scenic surroundings. The train runs between Banihal and Baramulla, covering a distance of 135 km.

    The Vistadome train is an all-weather train, which can run smoothly in extreme winter or summer. The train passes through snow-capped mountains and green valleys, giving the passengers a glimpse of Switzerland. The train has been in the headlines for its unique features and design.

    Vistadome Train: Features, Facilities

    The Vistadome train has specially designed coaches, which have double-wide reclining seats that can rotate a full 360 degrees. The passengers can enjoy a panoramic view of their surroundings from the glass dome roof, the huge glass windows, and the observation lounge. The train also has automatic sliding doors, luggage rack, LED screens for entertainment, and a GPS-enabled information system.


    The train runs six days a week and is available to all. The fare for the train tickets is Rs 940 and it runs twice a day. The train has a capacity of 40 seats in each coach. The coaches are produced by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, estimated to cost around Rs 4 crore. The coaches are equipped with air conditioning to effectively manage the harsh cold of winter and scorching heat of summer in the valley.

    The train seats are equipped with trays like airplanes, allowing passengers to enjoy meals. They can also order light meals from the Indian Railways menu during the journey. The train also has a mini pantry and a bio-toilet facility.

    The Vistadome train has received a very good response from the tourists and the locals. Many tourists travel by car from Jammu and get down at Banihal so that they can travel from Banihal to Srinagar by the Vistadome train. They say that the train gives them a very good experience and a view of heaven.

    Railway employee Prabhat Kumar said, “We have received a very good response. A lot of tourists travel here and especially since there has been snow, we get to see a lot of tourists.” Passenger Hakumat Singh said, “It is a very good train, it is very enjoyable, it feels like heaven, it is a very good step for tourists.” Sunita said, “It feels like heaven, there are many sights to see.”

    Tourist Aditi said, “We have come to have this experience, it will be a very good experience, the view is very good, why go to Switzerland, stay here, this is to enjoy.” Satish tourist said, “This is very good, this tourist will be attracted a lot, this coach is very good, the view is like Switzerland.”

    Tourist Mohammad Zaheeruddin said, “It is very good that this glass train is there, we will be able to see the open valley. Indian Railways has taken a good step, we can enjoy Switzerland in our country.”

    The Vistadome train is a part of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vocal for Local initiative, which aims to promote local products and services. The train is expected to attract more tourists and promote tourism in the area. The train is also a step towards the development of Jammu and Kashmir.

    The work on the rail link connecting the Kashmir Valley to the rest of the country is in the final stages. The day is not far when trains will connect Kashmir to Kanyakumari. The introduction of Vistadome coaches is another step towards the developmental journey of Jammu and Kashmir.

    The Northern Railway had successfully completed a trial run of the Vistadome train from Budgam to Baramulla under the supervision of senior railway officials in July last year. The train was formally launched in January this year.

  • Fresh snowfall in Kashmir; air traffic at Srinagar airport affected

    By PTI
    SRINAGAR: Srinagar and some other parts of Kashmir received fresh snowfall on Saturday, affecting flight operations at the airport here, even as the minimum temperature dropped across the Valley, officials said.

    The fresh snowfall began early in the morning, they said.

    The valley had received snowfall for four consecutive days earlier in the week, draping everything in white.

    The officials said Srinagar recorded four inches of snow till 8.30 am.

    In south Kashmir, Kulgam recorded five inches of snow, Anantnag three, Shopian three and Pulwama four.

    Bandipora, in the north, received two inches of snow and central Kashmir’s Budgam and Ganderbal districts recorded three inches each, the officials said.

    There were no reports of snowfall at the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir, and Pahalgam tourist resort in the south, the officials added.

    Some other areas in the valley received rainfall, they said.

    The MeT Office had forecast very light rains or snowfall at isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, even as it had said there was no forecast of any major snowfall and the weather was likely to stay mainly dry till January 14.

    The fresh snowfall affected the air traffic to and fro the Kashmir valley as no flight operations took place at the Srinagar airport, the officials said.

    They said because of the accumulation of snow on the runway, the flight operations were hampered, delaying several flights.

    “We expect flight delays today even as a couple of flights have been cancelled for the day,” the officials said.

    The air traffic would be restored as soon as the weather improves and the runway is cleared, they added.

    The Srinagar-Jammu national highway remained closed for traffic on the seventh day on Saturday, the officials said.

    They said the 260 kilometre-long highway — the only all-weather road connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country — was blocked by the accumulation of snow and landslides and shooting stones due to the heavy snowfall earlier this week.

    The officials said while the highway was cleared on Friday and stranded traffic was allowed, no fresh vehicle movement has been allowed yet.

    The Mughal Road — the alternate road-link which connects the valley to the Jammu division through Shopian-Rajouri axis — was closed for traffic due to heavy snowfall in the region, the officials said.

    The MeT Office said the minimum temperature went down across the valley.

    Srinagar city recorded a low of minus 4.0 degrees Celsius — down from minus 0.4 degrees Celsius the previous night, the officials said.

    The minimum temperature in Gulmarg tourist resort settled at minus 10.0 degrees Celsius — same as the night earlier.

    Pahalgam tourist resort, which also serves as a base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 5.1 degrees Celsius — down from minus 3.3 degrees Celsius.

    Qazigund recorded a minimum of minus 2.8 degrees Celsius, Kupwara, in the north, minus 5.4 degrees Celsius and Kokernag minus 4.5 degrees Celsius.

    Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’ — the 40-day harshest winter period when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies including the famous Dal Lake here as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the valley.

    The chances of snowfall are the most frequent and maximum during this period and most areas, especially in the higher reaches, receive heavy snowfall.

    While ‘Chillai-Kalan’ — which began on December 21 — will end on January 31, the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir with a 20-day-long ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day-long ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) following it.