The Indian Railways Corporation announced the launch of a themed tourist route train named “Bharat Gaurav” to show the world the rich cultural heritage and history of India. 190 such trains have been approved and are leased and operated by private companies and tourism agencies and national entities such as the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw (Ashwini Vaishnaw) said on Tuesday that the ministry has identified 3,033 passenger cars for the Bharat Gaurav train.
“We have allocated trains to’Bharat Gaurav’ and have identified 3,033 coach cars. We will start accepting applications today. We have received very good responses. Stakeholders will modify and operate the trains, and the railway will help maintain , Parking and other facilities,” Vaishnaw said.
Each pair of Bharat Gaurav trains will be equipped with 14 to 16 coaches, including two guard cars. The minister also stated that states such as Orissa, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have shown interest in operating these trains.
Vaishnaw described it as the third sector of the services provided by the national transportation company after the freight and passenger sectors. Private companies operating the Bharat Gaurav trains will be able to freely determine fares and amenities. He added that these will not be regular trains that run on schedule. “As of now, ICF coaches have been designated for the Bharat Gaurav program. But in the future, even Vande Bharat, Vista Dome and LHB coaches can be included as needed,” PTI quoted him as saying.
He said that from individuals to society, trusts, consortia, travel agencies and even state governments, anyone can apply to ride these trains and run them on special tourist routes according to the theme.
IRCTC is already operating the Ramayana train line and is planning to start the gurdwara train line connecting the famous gurdwara across the country. These trains will be called Gurukripa. The agency quoted officials as saying that more trains of this type are expected to be on track soon.
News Source : Hindustan Times
