Title - More trains from Chennai to have satellite TV

CHENNAI: Passengers will have non-stop entertainment from March next year, by when several Southern Railway and South Western Railway trains will be fitted with satellite television dishes and a wide wide-screen television sets that offer a wide variety of programes.Trans Vision director V Girish Kumar told TOI that his company, which now provides content on the Chennai-Bangalore-Mysore Shatabdi Express, is in talks with the railways regarding the installation of satellite TV dishes on trains.According to an independent survey, flights between Chennai and Bangalore have an average occupancy of only 30 per cent while occupancy is 100% on the Chennai-Bangalore-Mysore Shatabdi Express, Girish Kumar said."The profile of travellers on airconditioned trains like Shatabdi Express has changed," he said. "Executives, IT professionals, CEOs, CFO's and decision makers travel by these trains nowadays, making them prime spots for advertisers."Passengers of Lalbagh Express and four other trains have been enjoying popular shows and serials on Star Vijay, Sony TV, Star Plus and Kumudam webTV. The Chennai-Bangalore-Mysore Shatabdi Express also has the facility.Girish Kumar said infotainment has become part of the travelling experience in transit systems of most countries. Trans Vision and the railways believe that satellite TV will be welcomed by train passengers, he said.

Explaining how the system works, Girish Kumar said the satellite TV dishes are activated as soon as the train departs from a station. Travellers are greeted in English, Hindi, Tamil and Kannada and informed about the travel time. Twenty LCD colour televisions will be installed in 10 compartments of the trains and beam the latest movies, health tips, tourist destinations and information about stations that the train passes through.

"We are fine-tuning the system at present," Girish Kumar said. "Travellers will get to see high TRP programmes also." The facility is now available on five trains and its pairs. The trains will operate in five sectors, three on the Chennai-Bangalore line and the rest on the Mysore-Shimoga and Bangalore-Hubli routes.

"We are in talks with Southern Railway to introduce satellite TV on Brindavan Express, Chennai-Bangalore A/C double decker and other trains," he said. "We plan provide entertainment services in 30 to 35 trains by March. Passengers can even watch cricket matches or live news while travelling from one city to another."