The North East Frontier Railway is all set to upgrade 32 rakes, especially of mail express, with better passenger facilities and comfort under Project Utkrisht.

Each coach will be provided with upgraded facilities at an estimated cost of Rs 60 lakh. The upgrade includes massive change in both the interior and exterior of the entire train rake. A rake is the formation of coaches minus the engine which make up a train.

The revamped coaches will have “swachha rail toilets” which not only reduces water consumption while flushing, but also ensures that the stench is minimal.

The new toilets will have other advantages like no choking, quick discharge to bio toilet tank, complete sealing of odour, exhaust fans, auto janitors, large size mirror, among others.

Pranab Jyoti Sharma, the chief public relations officer of the NEFR, said the features would differ slightly among the AC coaches, and sleeper and unreserved coaches.

“The new AC coaches will also have features like LED panel lighting, new types of bottle holders, Braille signage, night glow stickers, new types of fire extinguishers, LED panel photo frame in first AC coaches, big size mirrors, anti-and graffiti vinyl wrapping in the gangway area,” he said.

Sharma said even the pantry car of the trains would be upgraded with stainless steel panelling, stainless steel plates on the floor and new stainless steel utensils and equipment for better hygiene.

“The aim of Project Utkrisht is to provide such amenities to the passengers so that they are left with no chance to complain against the railways.”

The most common complaint of the passengers travelling on upper and sleep classes, the railway official, is the unhygienic condition of toilets and the poor quality of food available in trains.

“The Indian Railways has decided to upgrade passenger train rakes by adding more passenger friendly items under Porject Utkrist,” he added.

In the first phase, 140 rakes will be upgraded throughout India, including 32 trains controlled by the NFR.