The State government has accorded in-principle approval to operate the first Bharat Gaurav train of Karnataka. The Department of Religious Endowments has registered with South Western Railway (SWR) as a service provider by depositing the registration fee of ₹1 lakh under the scheme, an SWR release said.
“Bharat Gaurav trains are theme-based tourist circuit trains to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and magnificent historical places to the people of India and the world. Under this policy, registered service providers shall be offered rakes consisting of ICF coaches under the ‘Right to Use’ model by Indian Railways (IR) for operations of Bharat Gaurav trains,” the release added.
Under the ‘Right to Use’ model, the service provider is free to decide the business model, including themes such as Ramayan circuit, Kashi Yatra, routes, itinerary, tariff, and other attributes. They can also refurbish the interiors of the coach based on the theme as well as utilise the coaches for advertisements and branding.
