Karnataka tourism takes Golden Chariot for a ride

Complimentary trips and free passes granted to as many as 439 passengers over two years has rendered the pride of Karnataka tourism, The Golden Chariot (TGC), a major loss-making project.

According to details procured by DNA based on a Right To Information (RTI) application filed by an activist MZ Ali, TGC—designed on the lines of Rajasthan’s famed Palace On Wheels— has recorded a dismal Rs10.88 crore in total income since its inception on August 2, 2008, while incurring an expenditure of Rs23.19 crore till March 31, 2010.

The RTI information states that as per provisional accounts, the loss incurred by TGC is Rs5.5 crore. This is after taking into account the debiting of travel agents’ commissions and discount of 45% of the revenue which is paid to hospitality partners, as well as the Rs2.18 crore haulage (charge for use of tracks used by other railway services) recorded till July 2010.

The losses incurred have been blamed on 286 free travel for passengers in 2008-09 and 153 more in 2009-10 offered by the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC), under the umbrage of which the TGC runs its ‘Pride of South’ and ‘Southern Splendour’ trips.

The beneficiaries of the complimentary travels and free passes were fame groups, journalists, travel agents and families and personalities closely connected with those running the Rs32 crore TGC project over the period of two years. “The train made 56 trips of ‘Pride of South’ and just one trip of ‘Southern splendour’ (a round trip across southern states) till April 4, 2010.

The tourist train provides 7 nights/8 days colourful journey commencing every Monday from Bangalore and traversing Nagarhole National Park (Kabini), Mysore, Srirangapatna, Mysore Palace; and continuing to the historical sites of Shravanabelagola, Belur (11th century Hoysala architecture heritage site), Halebeedu, Hampi a world heritage site and then entering the triangular heritage site of Badami, Pattadakal a world heritage site, Aihole.

The trip reaches the golden beaches of Goa before returning to Bangalore.

The ‘Southern Splendour’ trip covers Bangalore, Chennai, Pondicherry, Thanjavur, Madurai, Tiruvananthapuram, Kanyakumari, Kovalam, Alleppey and Kochi in Kerala. Pride of South costs a single person per day an amount of Rs17,180; the entire trip costs Rs1,19,700. Southern Splendour costs a single person per day Rs20,100 and for the entire itinerary of 7 nights Rs1.40 lakh.