BENGALURU: In a bid to give a fillip to the state’s own luxury express, Golden Chariot, which has been struggling to draw tourists and ensure smooth operations, the government is now looking at other luxury expresses to help promote the train.
Stake holders and tourism department officials are looking at Maharaja Express and Palace on Wheels for marketing support, to promote Karnataka’s luxury express. The two trains, that are a flagship venture of the Rajasthan government’s tourism department, have been drawing domestic and international tourists in large numbers.
“However, Karnataka has been unable to make ends meet, and we are looking at possible options. We are also studying financial models of other luxury expresses and what needs to be done. We are looking at joint marketing strategies from Maharaja Express and Palace on Wheels,” a senior tourism official told The New Indian Express.
At the recently held meeting of all southern states with Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in Bengaluru, the need for resuming Golden Chariot operations was discussed. At the meeting, Karnataka Tourism Minister HK Patil placed the demand to address changes in haulage charges and a Golden Chariot tour policy, to make operations smooth and affordable for tourists.
To promote and operate the train, the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) had, in March 2020, entered into an agreement with Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). But operations did not take off during the pandemic.
An IRCTC official said: “In November 2022, an agreement was signed on operations and maintenance, which included fixed and variable haulage charges. But now it has been realised that the charges are a burden. A proposal has been made to revise it. The product belongs to KSTDC, and IRCTC is only operating it. We have invited bookings from tourists to start operations from October 2024 to March 2025 for the two itineraries of Golden Chariot ‘Pride of Karnataka’ and ‘Jewel of the South’.”
As per the agreement, the fixed haulage charge for a full rake of the Golden Chariot, comprising 18 coaches, is Rs 2.04 crore, Rs 10,439 per annum, applicable from financial year 2022- 23 to financial year 2026- 27.
The tourism department official said the Golden Chariot has operational issues, despite assistance from the central government under the Bharat Gaurav scheme.