Lok Sabha Question No. 2008 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: Bharat Gaurav Trains
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Tharaniventhan M S

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## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2008 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.02.2026

## BHARAT GAURAV TRAINS

## 2008. SHRI THARANIVENTHAN M S:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  assessed  the  impact  of  Bharat  Gaurav Trains  on  cultural  awareness,  domestic  tourism  and  socio-economic development in the regions covered by these trains and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of routes operated from or passing through Tamil Nadu along with  passenger  numbers  and  revenue  generated  during  the  last  three years;
- (c) whether any studies have been undertaken to evaluate the benefits of Bharat Gaurav trains to local artisans, small businesses, homestays and tourism-dependent communities and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to expand Bharat Gaurav services to showcase Tamil Nadu's cultural heritage, temple architecture, classical arts and pilgrimage circuits and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  the  details  of  the  steps  taken  to  ensure  that  the  scheme  promotes inclusive,  sustainable  and  locally  beneficial  tourism  rather  than  being limited to private sector interests?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

## ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a)  to  (e):  Indian  Railways  have  issued  'Bharat  Gaurav  Trains'  policy  in November' 2021, under which theme based tourist circuit trains are being run  with  the  objective  to  showcase  India's  rich  cultural  heritage  and magnificent historical places to the people of India and the world. As per this policy, service providers have full flexibility to decide the themes/itineraries  for  operation  of  Bharat  Gaurav  tourist  circuit  trains, which may include tourist circuits of any part of India including the state of Tamil  Nadu,  based  on  market  demand,  commercial  viability  etc. The Service  Provider  offers  a  comprehensive  package  with  facility  of  rail transportation,  accommodation,  meals,  local  road  transport,  sightseeing etc.  Hence,  the  scheme  promotes  the  benefits  to  the  local  community leading to sustainable tourism development at the tourist destinations.

Bharat  Gaurav  Trains  cover  various  tourist  destinations  in  Tamil  Nadu including Chennai, Coimbatore, Kanchipuram, Mahabalipuram, Rameswaram, Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur, Madurai, Kanyakumari, Thiruvannamalai etc. As on 31.12.2025, 206 trips of Bharat Gaurav Trains have  been  operated  covering  various  tourist  destinations  in  Tamil  Nadu, facilitating 1,18,646 tourists. These tourists have extensively utilised local services  such  as  road  transportation,  hotels,  restaurants,  food  outlets, handicraft shops and other amenities thereby having a positive impact on the growth of the local economy in the state.

Bharat Gaurav tourist circuit trains covering various tourist destinations including those in Tamil Nadu are as under:

|   S.No | Bharat Gaurav Tourist Circuit Trains          | Tourist destinations covered                                                                                                                                                |
|--------|-----------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|      1 | Shirdi Sai Temple Yatra                       | Coimbatore -Tiruppur- Erode - Salem -Bangalore- Mantralayam- Shirdi and back                                                                                                |
|      2 | Shri Ramayana Yatra                           | New Delhi - Ayodhya - Sitamarhi - Janakpur (Nepal) - Buxar - Varanasi - Prayagraj - Chitrakoot - Nasik - Hampi - Rameswaram - Kanchipuram - Bhadrachalam - Delhi Safdarjung |
|      3 | Divya Kashi- Adi Amavasya Special             | Madurai - Chennai-Vijayawada- Puri- Kolkata- Gaya- Varanasi- Prayagraj- Vijayawada- Chennai- Madurai                                                                        |
|      4 | Onam Holiday Special/Frontier Holiday Special | Madurai - Mysore-Hosapete- Hyderabad- Aurangabad-                                                                                                                           |

|    |                                               | Kevadia/Ekta Nagar- Madgaon- Madurai                                                                                                      |
|----|-----------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|  5 | Mahalaya Amavasya Special                     | Madurai- Prayagraj- Gaya- Varanasi- Ayodhya- Naimisharanya Road- Haridwar- Delhi Safdarjung- Mathura- Jhansi- Madurai                     |
|  6 | Sampoorna Yatra                               | Madurai - Chennai- Secunderabad - Manikpur - Prayagraj - Ayodhya - Varanasi - Gaya - Puri - Rameshwaram - Madurai - Chennai- Secunderabad |
|  7 | Shakti Peeth Special                          | Madurai - Prayagraj - Varanasi - Gaya - Kamakhya - Kolkata -                                                                              |
|  8 | Maha Shivaratri Special -Kashi Yatra          | Coimbatore - Secunderabad - Prayagraj - Ayodhya - Gaya - Varanasi - Coimbatore                                                            |
|  9 | Masi Magam Special Nava Jyotirlinga Yatra     | Madurai - Ujjain - Somnath - Nasik Road - Aurangabad - Nanded - Parli - Srisailam - Madurai                                               |
| 10 | Sri Rameswaram-Tirupati Dakshin Darshan Yatra | Mumbai(CSMT) - Mysuru - Bangalore - Kanyakumari - Thiruvananthapuram - Rameswaram - Madurai - Tirupati - Mumbai(CSMT)                     |
| 11 | Dakshin Bharat Yatra                          | Sikar - Rameswaram - Madurai                                                                                                              |

|    |                                                              | - Kanyakumari - Tirupati - Mallikarjuna Srisailam - Sikar                                                            |
|----|--------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 12 | Sri Athi Rudra Maha Yagnam Special Saptha Jyotirlinga Yathra | Coimbatore -Ujjain - Somnath - Nashik Road - Aurangabad - Nanded - Kurnool - Coimbatore                              |
| 13 | Goa Summer Special                                           | Madurai - Madgaon - Madurai                                                                                          |
| 14 | Kashmir Valley Special                                       | Coimbatore - Udhampur - By Road to Srinagar, Sonmarg to Gulmarg - Amritsar - Agra - Coimbatore                       |
| 15 | Divya Kshetradanam                                           | Nagercoil Jn - Puri - Kolkata - Gaya - Varanasi - Prayagraj - Nagercoil Jn                                           |
| 16 | Rameswaram Madurai Tour                                      | Bhagat Ki Kothi - Rameswaram - Madurai - Bhagat Ki Kothi                                                             |
| 17 | Chennai-Madurai-Tour                                         | Chennai - Madurai - Chennai                                                                                          |
| 18 | Char Dham Yatra                                              | Delhi - Rishikesh - Joshimath - Badrinath - Varanasi - Puri - Rameswaram - Madurai - Hampi - Nashik - Dwarka - Delhi |
| 19 | Splendors of Deccan                                          | Madurai - Aurangabad (Ellora & Ajanta) - Mumbai - Madgaon - Madurai                                                  |
| 20 | Diwali Ganga Snan Yathirai                                   | Tenkasi - Prayagraj - Varanasi - Gaya - Rameswaram - Tenkasi                                                         |
| 21 | Royal Rajasthan with Goa and Statue of Unity                 | Coimbatore - Madgaon - Jodhpur - Jaisalmer - Bikaner - Jaipur - Ajmer - Udaipur - Ekta                               |

|     |                                                                   | Nagar - Coimbatore                                                                           |
|-----|-------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 23. | Shri Ram Kalyana Yathra in Ayodhya with Nava Shakthi Peeth Yathra | Coimbatore - Puri - Jajpur- Gaya - Varanasi - Ayodhya - Katra - Mathura- Ujjain - Coimbatore |
| 24. | Chengalpattu-Prayagraj-Varanasi- Chengalpattu                     | Chengalpattu - Prayagraj -                                                                   |
|     |                                                                   | Varanasi - Chengalpattu                                                                      |
| 25. | Thanjavur-Secunderabad- Thanjavur                                 | Thanjavur- Secunderabad - Thanjavur                                                          |
| 26. | Kashi Rameswaram Teerthdanam Special with Ayodhya                 | Coimbatore - Gaya - Varanasi - Ayodhya - Prayagraj - Coimbatore                              |
| 27. | Narmada Pushkaram Special                                         | Chennai - Jabalpur - Prayagraj - Varanasi - Ayodhya - Ujjain - Chennai                       |
| 28. | Paradise on Earth                                                 | Coimbatore - Agra - Mathura - Delhi - Katra - Amritsar - Agra - Coimbatore                   |
| 29. | Punya Tirtha Yatirai                                              | Tirunelveli - Ayodhya - Prayagraj - Varanasi - Gaya - Tirunelveli                            |
| 30. | Kedar-Badri-Kartik (Murugan) Koil Yathirai                        | Madurai - Rishikesh - Rudraprayag - Guptkashi - Kedarnath - Joshimath - Badrinath - Madurai  |
| 31. | Uttar Darshan Yatra                                               | Coimbatore - Agra - Delhi - Amritsar - Haridwar - Ayodhya - Varanasi - Gaya - Prayagraj -    |

|    |                                      | Coimbatore                                                                                                                           |
|----|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 32 | Mahalaya Paksha- Moksha Sthala Yatra | Madurai - Prayagraj - Varanasi - Ayodhya - Mathura - Ujjain - Somnath - Dwarka - Siddhpur - Madurai                                  |
| 33 | Swami Udit Chaitanya's Yathra        | Madurai - Mathura - Ayodhya - Varanasi - Prayagraj - Madurai                                                                         |
| 34 | Maragasira Masam Special             | Chennai - Hosapete - Hassan (Kollur & Udupi) - Mysuru - Chennai                                                                      |
| 35 | Royal Rajasthan                      | Madurai - Madgaon - Ahemadabad - Jodhpur - Jaisalmer - Jaipur - Ajmer - Udaipur - Ekta Nagar - Madurai                               |
| 36 | Pravasi Bhartiya Yatra               | Delhi - Ayodhya - Varanasi - Patna - Gaya - Chennai - Rameswaram - Madurai - Ernakulam - Madgaon - Ekta Nagar - Ajmer - Agra - Delhi |
| 37 | Thai Amavasai                        | Madurai - Puri - Kolkata - Gaya - Varanasi - Ayodhya - Prayagraj - Madurai                                                           |
| 38 | Maha Kumbh Punya Kshetra Yatra       | Tirunelveli - Prayagraj - Varanasi - Ayodhya - Tirunelveli                                                                           |
| 39 | Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari Darshan   | Salem - Tanuku (Penugonda) - Salem                                                                                                   |
| 40 | Sri Kshetra Daiva Kalyanotsavam      | Chennai - Prayagraj - Varanasi - Janakpur - Sitamarhi - Ayodhya                                                                      |

|    |                                   | - Naimisharanya - Vrindavan - Mathura - Chennai                                                       |
|----|-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 41 | 07 Jyotirlinga Yatra              | Madurai-Ujjain- Somnath/Veraval-Nashik- Aurangabad-Nanded-Prabhani- Parli-Markapur/Srisailam- Madurai |
| 42 | State Teerth Bharat Gaurav Trains | Jaipur-Rameswaram-Jaipur                                                                              |

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