Indian Railways recently introduced the see-through Vistadome air-conditioned coach for a quaint commute from Vishakhapatnam to the famous Araku valley. Hon’ble Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabu flagged-off the coach through a video link from Bhubaneswar on 16th April, 2017.
Saint-Gobain specifically designed and supplied glass panels for the roof that comprises of two different kinds of glass variants. The rooftop panel is made of SGG Priva-Lite, a glass that becomes transparent/ translucent at a click of a switch. This glass is paired with SGG Planitherm Ultra a thermal insulation glass that helps maintain optimum daylighting without glare and helps maintain the indoor air-conditioning at a desired temperature irrespective of the climate outside. The composite unit that measures to 33mm thickness also provides acoustic insulation.
These specially designed panels provide for stellar views to commuters, while giving them the comfort of solar and thermal control on exceptionally sunny days. The coach features a dome design with large windows and an observation lounge for panoramic views enroute Araku Valley. Passengers can now get breathtaking views of multiple tourist destinations including Anantagiri ghat section, Lambasingi and Borra caves along the route.
Commenting on this launch, Mr. Santhanam, President & MD – Flat Glass (South Asia, Malaysia & Egypt), Saint-Gobain, said, “We are thrilled to partner with Indian Railways to create a spectacle of such large proportions. Innovation is at the heart of Saint-Gobain’s business and opportunities like these stand testimony to the future-ready solutions we create. We are sure that these specially designed coaches will provide passengers luxury and multi-sensory comfort, all the while offering them views of a lifetime.”
This specially-designed Vistadome coach was manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF)-Perambur, Chennai.
Saint-Gobain’s Glass business in India started operations in the year 2000 in Chennai. It has cumulatively invested over Rs 3500 crores with manufacturing plants in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Saint-Gobain pioneered several Product, Marketing, Manufacturing, Application, Sustainability and Human Resources Innovations that helped in the emergence of product differentiation, segmentation and knowledge / skill development in what was seen as a commodity industry.
