Maligaon, April 13: Indian Railway launched the ‘Bharat Gaurav Train’ scheme recently with the objective to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage. Theme based tourist circuit trains will be run to leverage the core strength of the professionals of the tourism sector.
Under this scheme, registered service providers will be offered train rakes under ‘Right to Use’ model by Indian Railways of ‘Bharat Gaurav Trains’ for a minimum period of two years and maximum of upto the residual codal life.
Service provider shall have the flexibility to decide business model including themes, routes, itinerary, and tariff including train branding, naming and third party advertisement rights.
During peak period, service providers can place hassle free demands for Full Tariff Rate (FTR) trains without facing the crisis for non-availability of coaches. In this connection a meeting was held recently at Maligaon between N. F. Railway officials and service providers, tour operators.
The service providers and tour operators need to fulfill certain financial conditions for leasing the rakes. These conditions includes registration fee of Rs 1 lakh non refundable, rake security deposit of Rs 1 crore refundable.
The right to use charge per coach per year, stabling charge Rs 1000 per rake per day and fixed haulage charge per coach per year. Variable charges will be applicable for operation on per kilometre on set of coaches.
Along with financial implications the service providers/ tour operators also needs to provide documents to prove their eligibility for the participation in the ‘Bharat Gaurav Train’ scheme. The documents consist of individual PAN Card (self attested), Partnership firm – Certificate of Registration, Company – Certificate of incorporation.
Society – Society registration certificate, Trust – Registration certificate of Trust, Joint Ventures Unincorporated,Incorporated, Agreement and or Registration copy Consortium Unincorporated Incorporated – Agreement and or Registration copy .
The bidders under ‘Bharat Gaurav Train’ scheme can opt for 14-20 coaches which includes two Luggages cum Guard Vans (SLR). Allotments of rakes will be on all India priority.
Alternatively service providers have the option of procurement of new coaches directly from production units for this purpose. Plans for routing & timing of the trains can also be decided as per bidder’s feasibility.
Service providers will be at liberty to decide the business model and tariff. For further details of registration and placement of coach demand, interested service providers, tour operators can register on https//bharatgauravtrains.indianrailways.gov.in.
