NEWS

To promote and attract tourism business, the Indian Railways  launched Bharat Gaurav trains that will be operated by private players and run on theme-based circuits.

DETAILS

• Any operator or service provider, or virtually anyone, can lease trains from Indian Railways to run on a theme-based circuit as a special tourism package.
• Minimum tenure – Two years
• Maximum tenure – Codal life of the coach
• Operator has the freedom to decide the route, the halts, the services provided, and, most importantly, the tariff.
• In packaged tours, typically the passengers stop over at a place, stay at hotels, undertake sightseeing, etc. — all organised by tour operators.
• Operator will also have to propose a similar business model wherein it takes care of local transport, sightseeing, food, local stays, etc. along with operating the trains.
• Operator can carry out its own furnishings of the interiors of the trains if it wants within safety norms
• The annual ‘Right of Use’ charges calculated on the basis of the type of coach taken and the duration. In Bharat Gaurav scheme, the first year’s Right of Use charges have to be paid upfront and the second year’s have to be paid 15 days before the completion of the preceding year.