The Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala (Punjab), will manufacture luxury coaches for Punjab’s luxury tourist train, which will roll out in collaboration with the Ministry of Railways.
The Rail Coach Factory has the distinction of manufacturing coaches for Myanmar Railways, Senegal etc, besides coaches for the Indian Postal department, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Ministry of Defence.
The announcement came from Union Railways Minister Lalu Prasad last evening in New Delhi, when Punjab signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Railways to start the luxury tourist train in Punjab.
Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said that with the start of the luxury train, the unexploited tourism and travel potential in the state would get a further boost, on the one hand, and the success of this venture would certainly encourage other such projects, offering world class tourist packages and making travel in India a truly incredible experience, on the other.
The Punjab government, through Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB) took the initiative to undertake the overall management of the project, including provision of on-board and off-board facilities and its marketing in India and abroad.
It may be recalled that the Indian Railways would share the capital cost of the rake and undertake its operation and maintenance. This joint endeavor is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, with generous assistance and the project is being promoted as part of the 'Incredible India' campaign.
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Badal also urged Lalu Prasad Yadav to defer Punjab's share of Rs 20 lakh per trip of the luxury train, for at least three years, till the entire project becomes economically viable.
He said this venture would not only help in promoting the potential of tourism but also strengthen the bonds of brotherhood, national integration and communal harmony in line with the ethos of 'Unity in diversity.'
In his address, Yadav assured Badal that the state government's share towards this project would be deferred for next three years and also promised to start the train within a year, saying that the train would be manufactured in the Rail Coach factory, Kapurthala.
Giving the details, CEO of the PHTPB, Geetika Kalha said that the proposed train would cover popular destinations in North India including Amritsar, Anandpur Sahib, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Patiala and Kurukshetra, including Agra, Delhi and Jaipur in its seven-day itinerary.
The train was targeted at the premium-end clientele and the coaches were equipped with 5 star facilities. The rake comprised saloons, restaurant cars, and multiple cuisines, and lounge bars, observation cars with a viewing gallery, gym, spa, beauty saloon, library, games room and a computer centre. The project was expected to be ready for operation within two years.