First Private Train in India – Tejas Express Runs Between Delhi & Lucknow

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Tejas Express – Offering Luxury Travel

Delhi – Lucknow Tejas Express is going to be the First Private Train in India and is to be run by private operators. It’s being three long years when the Delhi – Lucknow bound Tejas Express was announced. But only recently it’s being introduced in the new time table.

Private Routing of Indian Railways

It is said to be the most talked-about train which is parked at Anand Nagar Railway Station. It is being disclosed by the sources that Tejas Express going to be the very first train in Indian Railways history to be operated by a private company. Many are making guesses that it may be Reliance group wing, the same who took over the charge of Delhi Metro’s Airport line initially.
Furthermore, the exercise to private the routes of railway is more of an experiment on not so busy routes yet crucial from the point of view of Tourism. So Railways is going ahead with its 100-day plan. Railways is going to hand over operations of two of its trains to the private sectors, despite opposing of this idea from its unions. But the second train is still a suspense, which too would be within the 500 Km distance span.

Inner view of Tejas Express - Daily Bees

Though it’s being said that handover of the Tejas Express to private sector players will follow the open bidding process to keep it transparent in public domain. Though the custody of the trains will be transferred to the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism, which will pay for it, that includes their lease charges, to the financing arm, IRFC. It is going to be a massive experiment spree and Railways is eyeing big on this, an inside input says the second train route shall be identified soon to finalize the privatization of routes.

Indian Railways on a Fast Track to Privatization?

The basic mechanism behind the selection of such routes is based on to identify such routes which have low congestion but at the same time connects important tourists spots. The Delhi-Lucknow route serves by 53 trains but does not have a Rajdhani (The fastest train of India, it runs on several different routes across the nation). Though a Swaran Shatabdi has a high demand on these particular routes with a run time of 6:30 hours.
The initial plans to run trains on two routes are under huge criticism too as few unions are saying it will kill the chances of employment in future in Railways. But keeping aside all these in-house challenges the Railway is all set to initiate the process and suppose to finalize a proposal by 10 July 2019, a 100-day plan to offer the operations of trains on two routes, Tejas Express going to be the first one.
It seems to be a constructive move to check the ability of private players in a sector which is a lifeline of this nation and literally India runs on railways. An ample room of improvement in terms of services is there in railways and private sector can fill the gap easily to give it a fair chance.

Tejas Express Route and Halts

Most awaited Tejas Express runs between Lucknow and New Delhi. It has 2 stoppages namely Ghaziabad Junction and Kanpur Central (Source and Destination Excluded).

Tejas Express Fare – First Private Train in India

Much awaited Lucknow-Delhi-Lucknow has finally updated the fare chart. Here are some details as per the news.

Lucknow to Delhi Fare

AC Chair Car: Rs 1,125
Executive Chair Car: Rs 2,310

Delhi to Lucknow Fare

AC Chair Car: Rs 1,280
Executive Chair Car: Rs 2,450

Lucknow to Kanpur Fare

AC Chair Car: Rs 320
Executive Chair Car: Rs 630

Lucknow to Ghaziabad Fare

AC Chair Car: Rs 1,125
Executive Chair Car: Rs 2,310

Delhi to Kanpur Fare

AC Chair Car: Rs 1,155
Executive Chair Car: Rs 2,155

The wait is not so long. We will be back soon with a review of First Private Train in India, Tejas Express’ Experience upon operation.