PUNE: The vistadome coach, attached to the Deccan Queen since August 15, has seen few passengers on the Mumbai-Pune route, primarily due to the trip starting in the evening and passing through the ghat areas in the dark.
Statistics provided by the Central Railway show that occupancy was less than 50% in August. Barring September 5, which was a Sunday, the occupancy has been low this month as well so far. On the other hand, the vistadome coach has been popular among passengers on the Pune-Mumbai route, with occupancy touching 95%.
Sources in the railway said that since the train leaves Mumbai in the evening, the response is poor. “The train starts from Mumbai at 5.10pm and arrives in Pune at 8.25pm. People feel that when the train passes through the Karjat-Lonavla ghat section, it will be dark and they will not be able to see anything,” the official said.
Another railway official said the Deccan Queen is popular and Railways is hoping that the vistadome coach attracts more passengers once the pandemic situation normalises further.
“On Sunday the coach had decent occupancy on the Mumbai-Pune route. The Railways will observe the response for three to four months,” said the official.
The fare of a seat in the vistadome coach on the Deccan Queen is Rs 915. Jaideep Malviya, who recently travelled in the coach from Pune, said it is best suited for early morning travel to view the Western Ghats.
Sandeep Dixit, who travels to Pune on weekends, said the scenery cannot be enjoyed in the evening. “The ticket prices are high and with nothing visible, it is better to travel on a regular coach,” said Dixit.
