Lok Sabha Question No. 152 (STARRED), answered on 2022-07-27
Subject: Bharat Gaurav Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Nusrat Jahan Ruhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 152 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2022

## BHARAT GAURAV TRAINS

- *152.       SHRIMATI NUSRAT JAHAN RUHI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  proposed  to  run  Bharat  Gaurav Trains under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model; (b) if  so,  the  details  of  routes  on  which  these  have  been  started, company - wise; (c) whether the Government has proposed to lease out the railway land and run the regular routes of the Indian Railways also under PPP model; and (d) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) to (d) :  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. 152 BY SHRIMATI NUSRAT JAHAN RUHI TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 27.07.2022 REGARDING BHARAT GAURAV TRAINS

(a) & (b) :     No, Sir.  However, the Ministry of Railways have issued policy instructions  on  23.11.2021  vide  Commercial  Circular  No.  14  of  2021  for operation  of  theme-based  tourist  circuit  'Bharat  Gaurav  Trains'.    These trains  are theme- based tourist circuit trains offering comprehensive tour packages  to  tourists,  and  intended  to  tap  the  vast  tourist  potential  of India and showcase  India's rich cultural heritage and magnificent historical places to the people of India and the world.

Under  the  policy,  potential  service  providers  which  may  include  Public Sector Undertakings or other entities who meet the eligibility criteria can run  Bharat  Gaurav  trains.  They  can  place  requests  for  allotment  of coaches  earmarked  for  this  scheme  to  run  Bharat  Gaurav  Trains.  The service provider will pay applicable charges to Railways.  Indian Railways will continue to retain ownership of the coaches and provide operational assistance  including  coach  maintenance  and  stabling  facilities.  The service provider may carry out coach refurbishments/minor modifications to showcase the theme and meet tourists' needs.

The  Bharat  Gaurav  Trains  policy  envisages  freedom  for  the  service provider  to  develop  their  own  tourism  theme  and  circuit.  As  such  they have freedom to decide the route and itinerary.  These itineraries may be repeated or changed for different trips as decided by the service provider. No routes are specified by the Railways for this scheme.

## Three Bharat Gaurav Train services have so far been operated over Indian

## Railways.  Details are as under :

| Date of start of operation   | Routes                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | Theme                             |   No. of Tourists | Service Provider                                   |
|------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-------------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| 14.06.2022                   | 4 Nights/5 Days Package Itinerary: Coimbatore - Tirupur- Erode - Salem - Bangalore- Mantralayam- Shirdi and back (Total kms- 2880).                                                                                                                        | Shirdi Sai Temple Yatra           |               810 | M and C Property Development Pvt Ltd.              |
| 21.06.2022                   | 17 Nights/18 Days Package Itinerary: (SHRI RAMAYANA YATRA)- New Delhi - Ayodhya - Sitamarhi - Janakpur (Nepal) - Buxar - Varanasi - Prayagraj - Chitrakoot - Nasik - Hampi - Rameshwaram - Kanchipuram - Bhadrachalam - Delhi Safdarjung (Total kms-7707). | Ramayana Yatra                    |               499 | Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation Ltd. |
| 23.07.2022                   | 11Nights/12 Days Package Itinerary : (Divya Kashi - Aadi Amavasya Special Trigaya & Saptha Shakti Peeth Darshan) Madurai - Chennai- Vijayawada- Puri- Kolkata- Gaya- Varanasi-Prayagraj- Vijayawada- Chennai- Madurai (Total Kms- 5269)                    | Divya Kashi-Aadi Amavasya Special |               395 | Travel Times India Private Limited                 |

(c)  :    No,  Sir.  For  running  of  Bharat  Gaurav  Trains,  neither  any  land parcel nor regular routes have been leased out.

(d)  :   Does not arise.

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