The world’s most expensive and leading luxury train, the seven-star super luxury Maharajas’ Express will soon be operated in Telangana.

The state tourism department and IRCTC officials on Wednesday discussed the proposal for operating super luxury Maharaja Express traveling from Konkan to Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu via Telangana.

Maharajas’ Express will halt at Secunderabad and Kazipet junctions in the state.

IRTS chairman AK Manocha and Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) group general manager Smita Rawat held discussions with Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation chairman P Ramulu, tourism secretary B Venkatesham and Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation managing director Christina Z Chongthu on Wednesday. As requested by Ramulu, the IRCTC chairman also agreed to run three-star luxury trains from Secunderabad to Shirdi, Goa and Tirupati with basic tariff structure of bus fares.

IRCTC chairman Manocha sought cooperation from Tourism and Culture Department for providing backend services such as local transportation (for local sight seeing), accommodation, catering, entry tickets with tour escort services for the groups which are booked by IRCTC for promoting tourism destinations like Basara, Warangal, Hyderabad and Bhadrachalam.

Source:www.newindianexpress.com

The Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has set its sights on the lucrative Bollywood pie to expand its revenue potential.

Its officials met with state officials last week and discussed the possibility of having Bollywood stars travelling in their luxury trains such as Maharaja Express.

Currently, the Mumbai tourism package offered by the IRCTC is limited, with tourists having the option of booking a helicopter ride for a birds-eye view of important landmarks in the city.

However, railway officials have noted that many foreign tourists are avid Bollywood fans and would lap up the chance, if given, to travel in the same train as the film stars. “We first need to determine if the actors themselves are amenable to the prospect of a luxury train travel for major events that happen across the country such as an awards event. The stars could travel in style, though it would mean spending more time in travelling when compared to flights,” said an official on condition of anonymity.

IRCTC has already proposed its plan to the state early this month. Another meeting between the railway and state officials is expected in the first week of July.

The IRCTC has forayed into budget tourism, like the `35,000 economic budget for the Deccan Odyssey, connecting Mumbai and Delhi.

Officials at the meeting said Union minister Suresh Prabhu has also shown an interest in the project. “He knows we cannot earn enough from just passenger fares which are extremely subsidised. So projects like these are being looked at as alternative sources of revenue,” the official added.

Railway officials will take help of event management companies to rope in the stars. Holding such functions in luxury trains itself, is another possibility being considered, said the official.

Source: www.asianage.com