Oberoi group bids for Punjab luxury train

Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB) received only one bid for the management of the proposed luxury train on the lines of Palace of Wheels in Rajasthan. According to officials in the state government department, only the Oberoi group has submitted the bids out of the four shortlisted players — Cox and Kings, Mappel Hotels, Lepassage to India and Oberoi group.

It may be mentioned that earlier PHTPB had invited applications from reputed national and international bidders who would take up the management of the luxury train for a period of 20 years.

Speaking to Business Standard, a senior PHTPB official said only Oberoi group had submitted bids. He added that Punjab Infrastructure Development Board would evaluate the technical bid and after evaluation, the financial bid would be opened. It is expected that with the start of this luxury train, the unexploited tourism and travel potential in the state would get a boost. The success of this venture would certainly encourage such other projects, offering world-class tourist packages and making travel in India a truly incredible experience.

Worth noting that the ministry of tourism has sanctioned a luxury train “Incredible India – Punjab Luxury Train” to promote tourism in the state. The total estimated cost of this project would be Rs 29 crore. Out of this, the ministry of tourism would contribute Rs 7.25 crore, while Indian Railways Catering Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and the Government of Punjab would equally contribute Rs 10.87 crore.

Also, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of this project had been signed on October 1, 2008 between Indian Railways and the Government of Punjab. Entire state share liability had already been released to start the project immediately. The tentative route of the train would be Delhi – Amritsar – Anandpur Sahib – Dharamshala – Patiala – Kurukshetra – Jaipur – Agra and back to Delhi. The interior furnishing of the train would be got done by the Punjab Heritage and Tourism promotion Board.

The luxuary train would comprise air conditioned luxuary coaches of five star plus category and related facilities including restaurant and kitchen coaches, bar-cum -lounge, spa-cum-gym coach and staff coach.