PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Dec 6: South Eastern Railway ( SER ) would soon introduce theme based tourist circuit trains -Bharat Gaurav- to showcase the country’s rich cultural heritage.
A meeting in this regard was held at Garden Reach, the Kolkata-based headquarters of SER yesterday to brief the private tour operators about different aspects of “Bharat Gaurav” trains.
Mohd. Owais, principal chief commercial manager, SER met the interested tour operators and expressed hope that the new scheme would be a success.
Murugaraj, chief commercial manager (Passenger Services and Catering), Niraj Kumar, chief public relations officer ( CPRO) and S. Koley, deputy chief commercial manager (Passenger Services) were present at the meeting and explained the different aspects of “Bharat Gaurav” trains to tour operators.
The tour operators will have the flexibility to decide the themes, tour packages and cost and will have the liberty to offer all inclusive packages to the tourists including rail travel, hotel accommodation, sightseeing etc.
The tour operators can apply for registration online. They can purchase the rake directly from the Indian Railway production units or take lease from the railways.
” The required rakes will be provided by the railway under Right to Use. The service providers can decorate the interior and exterior of the trains and can earn from third party advertisements. Private operators will be granted to use the coaches for a period of minimum two years and maximum up to residual life of the coaches, ” said a SER official.
According to him, the Bharat Gaurav trains will have minimum 14 coaches and maximum 20 coaches with two SLR (Seating-cum-Luggage coach).
The service provider can use the SLR portion of the train for carrying luggage.
Two coach maintenance staff and one supervisor will be deputed on each train to attend maintenance related issues during the journey.
Each Bharat Gaurav train will bear a unique number and will be given priority at par with other mail/express trains.
