Two new solar powered projects will be launched in Kerala to provide an significant boost to eco-friendly tourism and transport services. The trial run of a mini train at Thiruvananthapuram tourism village Veli was completed on Saturday. The train, which is built at a cost of Rs 9 Crore, is fully solar powered.
It's an effort to boost the state's eco-friendly tourism. The Veli Tourist Village is a tourist centre and the train, based on the steam engines of yesteryear, will blow up artificial steam and chug across the artificial lake for 1.5 km up and down.
The 50-person mini-train will pass the lake and beach through a rail tunnel and a 60-meter railway bridge. Above all, solar panels will be mounted in the roof of the three train cars, which directly power the engine. The extra solar energy is also guided to the electricity grid of the state of Kerala.
The 10-foot long train will travel 25 minutes to its passengers and will travel 15 kilometres per hour at the top speed. In order to guarantee passenger protection the track will also be fitted with handovers, rotating tables to turn motores, wood meshing, fibreglass fraction and a steel frame.
The Uralungal Labor Contract Society has carried out the 9-crore miniature project.