To boost tourism, govt launches country's 1st Vistadome jungle safari train

The Uttar Pradesh government has introduced Vistadome coach service connecting the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in Bahraich district to the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Pilibhit. This initiative marks Uttar Pradesh as the first state in the country to offer a jungle safari experience via a Vistadome train, a statement said on Saturday.
The new tourist train offers panoramic views of the forest landscape through specially designed coaches equipped with large glass windows and transparent roofs. The initiative aims to offer travellers a thrilling wildlife experience while showcasing the natural beauty of the state, said the statement.
At present, the service operates on weekends — Saturday and Sunday — but plans are being firmed up to expand it to daily operations, making it accessible to more visitors year-round. The move is expected to generate local employment opportunities and boost the region's economy.
Tourism director Prakhar Mishra said the plan is to make the state's forest areas famous nationally and internationally as 'One Destination Three Forests.' As part of this initiative, Dudhwa National Park, Katarniaghat, and Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary have been integrated to provide tourists with an accessible and exciting experience through the operation of the Vistadome coach.
He explained that the Uttar Pradesh Eco Tourism Development Board has launched this service to offer tourists a unique nature trail and jungle safari experience through the year. On the basis of positive feedback, there are plans to extend it to all days of the week.
Through the Vistadome coach, tourists can travel 107 km inside the forest and closely experience natural scenery, biodiversity, and wildlife. The journey lasts approximately 4 hours and 25 minutes. The train service is also affordable, with a ticket priced at Rs 275 per tourist for the route from Katarniaghat to Dudhwa National Park.
Director Mishra also mentioned that the Board is preparing a package to transport tourists from the state capital, Lucknow, to Katarniaghat. The government is considering providing subsidies on this package to make it more accessible to visitors.
He shared details about the Bichia to Mailani Tourist Passenger Train, which offers a 107-kilometre journey filled with rich biodiversity. The train departs from Bichia station in Bahraich at 11:45 am and passes through several stations before reaching Mailani station in Lakhimpur Kheri at 4:10 pm. The return service, Mailani to Bichia Tourist Passenger Train, leaves Mailani at 6:05 am and arrives at Bichia by 10:30 am.
The train stops at nine stations including Bichia, Manjhara Purab, Khairatia Bandh Road, Tikunia, Belerayan, Dudhwa, Palia Kalan, Bhira Kheri, and Mailani.
The Vistadome coach service passes through forests and wildlife sanctuaries, offering tourists close views of natural landscapes such as wetlands, grasslands, farmlands, and woodlands. This service is expected to attract visitors even during the monsoon season.
This initiative will boost tourism and generate employment opportunities at the regional level. It will also empower the local economy by involving homestay owners, resort operators and travel agents.
Currently, special curated tours are being organized weekly under the Youth Tourism Club for government school children. Also, tours for social media influencers and travel bloggers are arranged to promote the Vistadome coach experience digitally.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

News18

22 minutes ago

• News18

Did ICICI Bank Try To Acquire HDFC? What Deepak Parekh Reveals

Last Updated: 'I remember you talking to me said ICICI started HDFC. 'Why don't you come back home?' That was your offer,' Parekh said in interaction with Ex-ICICI CEO Chanda Kochhar. ICICI Bank once tried to merge housing finance firm HDFC with itself before its reverse merger with its own banking arm, HDFC Bank former chairman Deepak Parekh has revealed. In a YouTube video, Parekh, in an interaction with ICICI Bank former MD & CEO Chanda Kochhar, said, 'I remember you talking to me once…you said that ICICI started HDFC. 'Why don't you come back home?' That was your offer." However, Parekh said he declined the offer, saying 'it won't be fair or proper with our name and the bank and all". He also said the HDFC Bank-HDFC reverse merger, which was completed in July 2023, was primarily driven by regulatory pressure. 'The RBI supported us and they pushed us into it to some extent and they helped us…there were no concessions, no relief, no time, nothing but they helped us to go through the process and get the approval," Parekh said. On the reverse merger, Parekh called it 'a sad day and a happy day". He added, 'It's good for the institution. It's good for the country to have large banks. Look at how large Chinese banks are. We have to be bigger, larger in India." Describing the merger as good for the institution, he said, it is good for the country to have large banks. Indian banks must grow through acquisitions to become stronger in future, he added. HDFC Ltd, the parent entity of HDFC Bank, merged with its banking subsidiary to create the country's biggest private sector lender. The merger became effective from July 1, 2023. With the reverse merger, the 44-year-old institution HDFC Ltd faded into memory lane. Interestingly, the creation of HDFC Ltd was financially supported by erstwhile ICICI Ltd, the parent entity of ICICI Bank. The Reserve Bank of India had classified large NBFCs like HDFC, which then held assets exceeding Rs 5 lakh crore, as systemically important — well above the Rs 50,000-crore threshold. (With Inputs from PTI) First Published:

Hans India

31 minutes ago

• Hans India

Varsity launches innovative ‘industry inside the campus' initiative

Belagavi: In a pioneering step towards integrating industry with academics, Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Belagavi, has launched a novel initiative titled 'Industry Inside the Campus'. This move comes on the heels of the university making headlines for declaring exam results within an hour—yet another testament to its push towards student-centric reforms. To implement this new concept, VTU has established the Visvesvaraya Research and Innovation Foundation (VRIF) on its main campus, opening up space for companies in drone technology, software development, electric vehicles, IoT, PCB manufacturing, AR/VR, and more. These companies are now operational on campus, with full-fledged training for final-year engineering students set to begin from August. Speaking to this reporter , VTU Vice-Chancellor Prof. S. Vidyashankar said, 'Students now gain hands-on experience and practical exposure within the campus. We've established rapid innovation centres such as the Schneider Acceleration Centre, Proteus, Cadence, and an Electrical Vehicle Lab to bridge the skill gap. Through VRIF, we aim to create not just employees but future employers.' One of the key players in the initiative is Saras Aerospace, a startup established in 2022, specializing in carbon fiber drones and airframe production. Co-founder Brijesh Kumar Koparde noted, 'Thanks to VTU, we operate from within the campus. We train students not only in drone technology but also in equipment used for drone testing. We've delivered over 200 drones across the country, including to the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. Our product range includes drones valued between RS1.5 lakh and RS 30 lakh.'Currently, nearly 90 students are undergoing hands-on training with Saras Aerospace. Rajat Hanshate, a final-year engineering student, shared, 'I've developed an Unmanned Ground Vehicle during my internship here. From 3D modeling to integrating sensors and cameras, everything was facilitated. I gained immense exposure to the practical aspects of drone-making for both defence and agriculture.' Another student, Swastik Hegde, emphasized the value of his training, 'I've been interning here for two months. I've learned PCB design and IoT sensor integration. I even worked on a Retractor Landing Gear project. I'm truly grateful to VTU for creating such platforms.' The 'Industry Inside the Campus' initiative is expected to benefit at least 2,500 students in the coming academic year. The university hopes this integrated industry-academia ecosystem will not only make graduates job-ready but also empower them to become entrepreneurs. 'This is not just about employment, it's about entrepreneurship,' reiterated Prof. Vidyashankar.

Hans India

an hour ago

• Hans India

Singareni to construct 500 MW pumped storage plant

Kothagudem: As part of its business expansion activities, Singareni Company will undertake construction of a pumped storage power plant based on the closed Medipalli open cast mine water reservoir in Ramagundam-1 area. During a review meetingon Saturday, CMD N Balaram said, 'The company, which has completed the preliminary studies related to this, has been entrusted with the responsibility of preparing a complete project report and has presented a letter of award to a public sector undertaking named Vyapcos Limited.' He said that the Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu has already visited the Medipalli open cast mine and the construction site. Explaining the details of the project, he said, 'The plant works like a hydroelectric project in a way. A reservoir dam of about 2,350 m long and 23 m deep will be constructed for water storage on the funds. This reservoir will store 9.64 million cubic meters of water and 8 million cubic meters of water will be used for pumping.' The project cost is estimated to be around Rs 3,000 crore.