From vistadome trains to a scenic Kevadia station, how Indian Railways is trying to attract tourists to Statue of Unity

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday flagged off eight trains connecting different regions of the country to Kevadiya with an aim to facilitate seamless connectivity to the Statue of Unity in Gujarat.

Kevadiya station is India's first railway station with a Green Building Certification. The project is aimed to boost development and tourism in the region. The Station has a Tribal Art Gallery and Viewing Gallery from where Statue of Unity can be glimpsed". Situated near Kevadiya in Gujarat's Narmada district, the 'Statue of Unity' is the world's tallest statue and monumental tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

One of the train --Ahmedabad-Kevadiya Janshatabdi Express-- will have the vistadome coaches attached to it. These state of the art coaches will allow passengers to get a clear view of the surroundings including the sky. Vistadome coaches have a bigger viewing area and mostly transparent roof.

The trains flagged off include 09103/04 Kevadiya-Varanasi Mahamana Express (Weekly), 02927/28 Dadar-Kevadiya Express (Daily), 09247/48 Ahmedabad-Kevadiya Janshatabdi Express (Daily), 09145/46 Nizamuddin - Kevadia Sampark Kranti Express (Bi-Weekly), 09105/06 Kevadia - Rewa Express (Weekly), 09119/20 Chennai - Kevadia Express (Weekly), 09107/08 Pratapnagar-Kevadia MEMU train (Daily) and 09109/10 Kevadiya-Pratapnagar MEMU train (Daily).

The Prime minister said that train services are essential to boost tourism prospects of the Statue of Unity in Kevadiya. PM Modi believes that developments will also help in transforming the lives of the tribal communities in the region.