Indian Railways will introduce a whole new segment of Bharat Gaurav trains with the aim to boost tourism across the country. Indian Railways has assigned more than 180 trains and identified 3,033 vehicles on the “Bharat Gaurav” train. The railway will begin accepting applications for the Bharat Gaurav train. All interested stakeholders will modify and operate the train to assist the railway in parking, maintenance, and other facilities.
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Highlights
Service providers will be given a free reign to choose their specific themes such as the Guru Kripa Trains covering important places of Sikh culture, the Ramayana trains for places related to Lord Ram, as well as visits to historic as well as heritage sites, tour guides and more. Branding and advertising are allowed on and off the train. The train configuration consists of 14 to 20 cars, including two guard vans. Full flexibility in determining package costs based on the level of service provided. Choosing a coach for different segments such as customer, luxury and budget will be up to the service providers. Indian railways will also install special units throughout the zone to facilitate the operators.
Eligibility to apply for Bharat Gaurav Trains
Anyone interested can apply for a train lease by registering online for a one-time charge of 1 lakh rupees. This contract can be made for 2 to 10 years. The operator must also leave a deposit of 1 crore rupees per rake. The size of each train will be 14 to 20 wagons, including two guard wagons. Railroads only pay for transportation and usage rights.
Parameters of the Bharat Gaurav Trains scheme
The parameters of the Bharat Gaurav program are that the operator needs to provide sightseeing, local transportation (such as taxis), meals, entertainment on board, and hotels for stopovers.