Indian Railways has acquired a new, state-of-the-art look about it in the last few years. The Humsafar Express, launched in 2016, represents this change. The interiors of this air-conditioned train have anti-graffiti vinyl coating, reading light for each seat, CCTV, GPS, LED display screen, mobile and laptop charging points, braille display for the visually impaired, smoke-detection system, baby nappy changing pads, tea and coffee vending machines, refrigerator to store food brought from home and an oven to heat the food! What more can you ask for? Or the high flying Tejas Express, which has  separate LCD screen for each passenger, automatic doors, executive class and chair cars, fire and smoke detection system, magazines and snack tables, tea and coffee vending machines, water level indicators in bio-vacuum toilets, sensorised taps, hand dryers, braille displays, digital destination boards and improved aesthetics! How’s that for luxury? Now comes another first. 

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Aiming to provide airline-quality hospitality to rail passengers, the Indian Railways has implemented a pilot project and deployed air hostesses and flight stewards in the country’s fanciest train, Vande Bharat Express. On-board, 34 trained air hostesses and flight stewards will serve for a duration of six months. If the project yields positive returns, the service is likely to be extended to other trains as well. In February this year, PM Modi flagged off the train’s maiden run from New Delhi to Varanasi. The train also includes in-house design and manufacture, computer modelling and working. Adding up towards the nation’s green footprints, the fully ‘Make in India’ train also has a regenerative braking system in the coaches that can save up to 30% electrical energy. Indian Railways is coming of age and the government’s vision of reaching the Bullet Train status is fully on.