A Vistadome coach will begin operating on the Madurai–Guruvayur Express from Thursday, giving passengers a panoramic rail journey through the scenic Sengottai–Punalur ghat section along the Western Ghats. The temporary service is intended to strengthen the tourism potential of the Kollam–Sengottai route while allowing local travellers to benefit from the train connection.
The coach has been attached to the express following persistent demands for a Vistadome service on the route. MP N K Premachandran said it was the first time that a Vistadome coach had been allotted to a Keralam route. He described the move as the result of continuous efforts seeking such a service since the country’s first Vistadome coach began operating.
The train’s schedule includes a five-minute halt at Sengottai and Punalur, and a 10-minute halt at Kollam. It will stop for one minute at all other stations on the route. According to Premachandran, the service has been scheduled with stops at as many stations as possible so that passengers can experience the natural landscape along the Sengottai–Kollam section.
Vistadome coaches are designed to offer wider views through features such as large windows and panoramic observation areas. On this route, the coach will pass through the ghat section between Sengottai and Punalur, an area identified in the announcement for its Western Ghats scenery. The railway service therefore combines an existing passenger connection with a tourism-oriented travel experience.
Premachandran said the coach would help unlock the tourism potential of the scenic Kollam–Sengottai route and attract more visitors to the region. He also stressed that the objective was not limited to tourism, stating that local residents should benefit from both the train service and the Vistadome coach.
The railway will operate the coach on the train on a temporary basis until mid-January. Initial demand has been strong: tickets for the executive class coach were sold out for two weeks soon after reservations opened. The temporary operating period will provide the railway with an opportunity to run the service through the route’s scheduled stations while passenger interest is already high.
