Move aside Mumbai-Goa double-decker: superfast Tejas coming

The Mumbai-Madgaon double-decker train service may be facing the axe with the impending introduction of the high-tech Tejas Express on the Mumbai-Goa route.

Railway minister Suresh Prabhu on Friday inspected the Tejas Express at Delhi's Safdarjung station. Rail Coach Factory, a coach manufacturing unit of Indian Railways - one of the largest employers in the world - had on Thursday rolled out the first rake of 19 coaches of the Tejas Express, set to first run on the Mumbai-Goa route.

At present, the Mumbai LTT-Madgaon double-decker Express leaves around 5.30am. According to The Times of India, sources said that the Tejas Express is also likely to leave Mumbai at 5.30am and reach Madgaon by 1.30 pm. There is no certainty on whether the double-decker service will continue alongside the Tejas.

Capable of speeds of 200kph, the Tejas will more likely travel at an average of 130 kph, reports said. Coaches will be equipped with on-board facilities including LCD screens, ergonomic seats, CCTV cameras, automatic doors, personalised infotainment systems and an advanced fire alarm system, the railways ministry said on Twitter.

 Coaches of the luxury train service will comprise executive class and chair cars.

The trains will also offer on-board facilities such as wifi, tea and coffee vending machines, snack tables and magazines, besides entertainment and local cuisine.

The Tejas Express trains were announced in the Budget last year. Tejas Express will also run on the Delhi-Chandigarh and Surat-Mumbai routes, the Indian Railways has earlier announced.

Tejas will showcase the future of train travel in India, the railway minister had earlier said.

Catering service will be included in Tejas fares like on the Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains. The Tejas will also serve choice cuisine curated by celebrity chefs.

The newly-designed train is capable of running at 200kmph. However, as the tracks cannot take such high speeds, it will be restricted to 160kmph, RCF general manager R P Nibaria told PTI.

Nibaria also said he expects the Tejas Express to start operations by the end of this month. "The final decision will be taken by the Railway Board," the official said.

The new coaches are fitted with improved couplers that will make the journey jerk-free and comfortable at high speed, he added.