New Delhi:
The Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express, which will be India’s first private train to be entirely run by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), will start its journey from October 4. According to reports, the Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Expres will be flagged by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Passengers of Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express, which was announced in 2016 but was introduced in the new time table released recently, will get free Rs 25 lakh rail travel insurance, the IRCTC said in a statement. Apart from this, people travelling through this train will also be given the facility of using retiring rooms at Lucknow junction station and executive lounge at New Delhi Railway Station.
According to the statement, IRCTC is also planning to introduce paid service of collecting passengers' baggage from their homes and deliver to them in the train on their seats and then again from their seats to their destination stay point.
"This is to ensure that passengers can travel without being concerned about their luggage. All the luggage will be insured," it said. From taxi hiring to hotel bookings, IRCTC will do everything on payment to such passengers who need it.
"There will be no facility of 'tatkal'. Five seats each will be reserved for foreign tourists in Executive Class and AC Chair car," it said. The fare of this train will be dynamic - they will be decided based on peak or lean season, festival season or according to the demand.
It also said that just like flights, meals will be served by on-board service staff on trolleys. "Tea and coffee vending machines will be available in the Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express. Water will be provided on demand through RO machines for passengers," it said.
The IRCTC said that the Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express will run six days a week, except Tuesdays. It is likely to start from Delhi at 4.30 pm. and reach Lucknow at 10.45 pm.
IRCTC will run Mumbai-Ahmedabad Tejas Express which become operational from November.
