Summary:
New Delhi, Nov 30 (PTI) The fares of the Bharat Gaurav trains are likely to be slashed by 20-30 per cent after low occupancy forced the IRCTC to cancel at least two of its special tour packages, sources said here.
A final decision is yet to be taken.
The Railways" nod to the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to reduce fares of the special train comes barely a year after the service was launched.
So far, the transporter has managed to operate just one service of the train on the Ramayana circuit.
The AC-3 tier fare for an 18-day tour in the Bharat Gaurav tourist train is Rs 62,000.
While the train was launched to give a "concerted thrust to efforts for promotion of domestic tourism through provision of better quality coaches and viable tour packages", the sources said, the high fares pushed it as a "luxury brand" for a certain section of people.
They indicated that while a final decision on the rate cut was yet to be taken, the low occupancy of the train has been blamed on its high ticket fares as well as the discomfort of the 15-year-old ICF coaches provided for the service.
"Approval has been given to make the fares of sleeper and AC-3 classes cheaper.
IRCTC will take a final decision on this soon.
It will be cheaper by at least 20-30 per cent.
After this, the tour operator will announce it," a source said.
"The problem is that the fares are too high for an average middle-class traveller.