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Through this directive, which gives operators the “right to use” the information technology and infrastructure of the Indian railways, the national airline has liberalized and simplified some of the operations that were otherwise mainly carried out by the IRCTC.
To encourage and attract tourism businesses, Indian Railways announced the introduction of Bharat Gaurav trains operated by private actors. These trains will run on thematic circuits. Through this directive, which gives operators the “right to use” the information technology and infrastructure of the Indian railways, the national airline has liberalized and simplified some of the operations that were otherwise mainly carried out by the IRCTC. While these trains can be operated by anyone, including state governments, the policy is implicitly directed at tour operators, according to an IE report. Here is everything you need to know about the Bharat Gaurav trains:
Under this policy, trains can be rented from any operator or service provider or virtually any of the railways in India for themed tours as a special tour package. The duration of the contract is a minimum of two years and a maximum of the useful life of the wagon. The national airline has left to the operator the decision of the route, the services offered, the stops, and the price. Anyone can go to Indian Railways to hire the 3,033 conventional ICF cars for this segment. If deemed feasible by the operator, they can also purchase racking from Indian Railways production units and operate them. Each of these trains will have between 14 and 20 carriages. These Bharat Gaurav trains cannot be used as normal transport trains between a start and a destination.
A special unit is created in each lane in the area, dealing with these inquiries and those seeking help and to see consistent procedural requirements for the operator. These special forces will help operators create routes, raise public awareness, carry out necessary permits, etc.
The operator can, if he wishes, configure the interior of the trains himself, respecting the safety regulations. The operator can decide what type of interior or cabin composition he wants. However, the operator may not manipulate or disassemble important parts of the coach that impair safety and operation. He can name the train, and the route and sell advertising space. The operator can also mark the outside and inside of the trains. In addition, he can also work with companies and agencies of business development, logistics, etc. The operator can also decide on catering and entertainment to enhance the passenger experience.
However, the operator must ensure that things are not done on these trains that are not allowed by the Indian railway laws. Currently, the policy does not say whether non-vegetarian food would be allowed, but officials say there should be no restrictions, as this is allowed on Indian Railways trains. The aim of the directive is to give operators complete freedom to run the business and develop a business model in which the national company only physically operates the trains, maintains the trains, and charges a fee.
As part of the policy, classes I, II, and III with conventional air conditioning were assigned to sleeper cars without air conditioning, air-conditioned seats, and pantry cars. The operator is free to create a train with any combination, depending on the type of clientele he wants to address. The wagons for these trains are divided into two age groups: over 15 years and up to 20 years and over 20 and up to 25 years. Trainers’ fees vary by age. Train coaches typically retire after 35 years. If the term of the contract ends with the extension of the Codal useful life of the carts or rakes, the contract can be extended by mutual agreement. In case of future demand, LHB coaches or even Vande Bharat or VistaDome coaches can be included, but the price will be different.
Indian Railways provides personnel for the operation of the Bharat-Gaurav trains, guards, and maintenance personnel on the wagons. The operator hires other staff members, such as catering and cleaning, etc. In addition, it ensures that all infrastructure is in place to safely and efficiently accommodate the train on its network. Indian Railways has also announced that it will give priority to these trains like Rajdhanis and other premium trains so that these Bharat-Gaurav trains are not blocked or put aside to make room for regular trains.
According to the report, the money is considered as it is the sum of registration fees, transportation costs, rake deposits, “usage fees” and parking fees that the operator pays to Indian Railways. All of these costs are related to the use of various components of rail resources, such as fuel, labor, maintenance, depreciation, rent, etc. Indian Railways initially charges Rs 1 lakh as the applicant’s one-time online registration fee. . The Indian Railways area in question will return within 10 days of the application being processed. After that, once the rake has been allocated, a deposit of Rs 1 crore per rake is deposited, regardless of the size of the rake, for the duration of the right of use.
The annual “right of use” fees are calculated based on the type of coach rented and the duration. According to the Bharat Gaurav train program, the right-of-use fee for the first year must be paid in advance and the second-year fee must be paid 15 days before the end of the previous year. In case of late payment, a contractual penalty will be charged in the amount of the bank’s applicable interest rate plus 3% of the administration costs. The right of use can be terminated if it is not paid within 30 days. For an air-conditioned coach, the annual usage fee varies between Rs 3.5 and 1.4 lakh, depending on class and age. The fee for using a kitchen cart is between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 65,000, depending on age and type. The cost of a sleeping car without air conditioning is between Rs 1.8 thousand and Rs 96,000. These rates are fixed for five years, after which these rates can be revised. In the event the carriages are owned by the operator or purchased directly from Indian Railways, the usage fee will not apply.
