Mubashir Aalam Wani
Srinagar, Feb 15: Last week when the valley received fresh snowfall, pictures of a train navigating through intense snowfall went viral on social media.
Amid immense response, social media was abuzz, with tourists keeping it on their wishlist to enjoy a train ride in snowclad Kashmir.
A train ride in Kashmir has emerged as a new addition to the region’s tourism landscape.
Vistadome coach, which was recently introduced by the government is fast becoming a hotspot for tourists, who get a 360-degree view of Kashmir from north to south.
Every day scores of tourists embark the train to experience the view of snowclad Kashmir from Baramulla to Banihal.
“We have been getting scores of passengers who visit here to explore Kashmir. Since the trains here pass through beautiful landscapes, especially during the winter season when it is white everywhere, tourists love to experience this view. Every day we get hundreds of tourist passengers at our Srinagar and Banihal stations,” an official said.
He said the occupancy of Vistadome has increased especially after snowfall. “The coach is running full. People love to experience Kashmir through this coach, which has every facility to make one’s trip comfortable,” he said.
Pertinently, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Railway Minister, recently posted a captivating video showcasing a train navigating through intense snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir.
The video went viral with many expressing their desire to visit Kashmir and experience a train journey from south to north Kashmir.
Tourists who took the train ride in Kashmir compared it with that of Switzerland.” This is no less than Switzerland. We enjoyed our ride from Banihal to Baramulla. The views are amazing with snow-capped mountains. I recommend every tourist visiting Kashmir should enjoy and experience a train ride from Banihal to Baramulla to get a 360-degree view of Kashmir,” said Bushra Khan, a tourist from Maharashtra.
Pertinently, last year, a series of videos of the scow-covered train also featured on social media mesmerizing video that enchanted netizens, even leaving South African professional cricket commentator Jonty Rhodes longing to embark on a journey on the train.
On a normal day, at least 15 pairs of trains run regularly from Baramulla to Banihal and carry almost 30,000 passengers, including students and employees.
