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Uttarakhand proposes INR 424cr for beautification of Badrinath temple & surrounds

A budget of INR 424 crore has been proposed for the Badrinath master plan for beautification and upgradation of facilities around the Himalayan temple. Sharing the information at a meeting with locals to discuss the master plan on Tuesday, Uttarakhand Tourism Secretary Dilip Jawalkar said the proposed budget awaits the PMO's approval. The master plan has been prepared under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in such a way that the spiritual character of the temple township is retained while giving it a general facelift and upgradation of facilities meant for pilgrims around the shrine, he said. Jawalkar discussed the master plan with teerth purohits and traders of the area and tried to address their doubts. To be implemented in three phases, the master plan includes beautification of the Shesh Netra and Badrish lakes near the temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu in the first, expansion and renovation of temple premises and nearby areas in the second and construction of an "Astha Path" from Shesh Netra lake to the temple in the third, Jawalkar said. The official also offered prayers at the temple and inspected areas not far from it including Narayan Parvat, Brahma Kapal, Taptkund and Bamani village.

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Lufthansa to operate 10 weekly flights in India, Air India will operate 7 in Germany

India-Germany air travel stalemate comes to a ‘fair’ resolution as German carrier Lufthansa has now agreed to operate 10 weekly flights in India against 20 flights that it was operating till October beginning. Air India, on the other hand, was operating only three to four flights in Germany leading to a disparity in the number of flights which contradicts the air bubble agreement, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said earlier. Now it has been decided that the German carrier will fly 10 flights — four to and from Delhi, three to and from Mumbai and other three to and from Bengaluru. Out of Air India’s seven flights a week, five will be to and from Delhi and two to and from Bengaluru. Owing to the disparity in numbers, India, Germany air bubble — an agreement between two countries to allow their airlines to operate both-way travels — stood suspended. All flights between the two countries were cancelled till October 20. On October 16, Air India announced its resumption of Germany flights beginning from October 26. It also said that the schedule will continue till March 28, 2021. Union civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said earlier that foreign carriers won’t be allowed if that comes in way of Indian carriers. Reports said Germany was not ready to increase the number of Air India flights as it was apprehensive of importing Covid-19 cases from India. India-Germany air travel stalemate comes to a ‘fair’ resolution as German carrier Lufthansa has now agreed to operate 10 weekly flights in India against 20 flights that it was operating till October beginning. Air India, on the other hand, was operating only three to four flights in Germany leading to a disparity in the number of flights which contradicts the air bubble agreement, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said earlier. Now it has been decided that the German carrier will fly 10 flights — four to and from Delhi, three to and from Mumbai and other three to and from Bengaluru. Out of Air India’s seven flights a week, five will be to and from Delhi and two to and from Bengaluru. Also Read: International flights: India-Germany flights to start from October 26 after brief suspension of air bubble Owing to the disparity in numbers, India, Germany air bubble — an agreement between two countries to allow their airlines to operate both-way travels — stood suspended. All flights between the two countries were cancelled till October 20. On October 16, Air India announced its resumption of Germany flights beginning from October 26. It also said that the schedule will continue till March 28, 2021. Union civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said earlier that foreign carriers won’t be allowed if that comes in way of Indian carriers. Reports said Germany was not ready to increase the number of Air India flights as it was apprehensive of importing Covid-19 cases from India. With Lufthansa flying 10 per week and Air India seven, the parity remains but the ministry had said earlier that it was not insisting on total parity. Even near-parity will do, Hardeep Singh Puri had said.

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Karnataka's alluringly luxurious train, the Golden Chariot, to be on tracks this January

Karnataka’s luxury train, the Golden Chariot, is ready to go on tracks again. Run by the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC), the train was temporarily suspended last year due to the absence of enough passengers. Reportedly, early this year, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) was tasked with renovating the train interiors. However, the work was halted owing to COVID-19, and the luxury train is now ready to resume operations though it was supposed to restart services during the summer of 2020. According to the KSTDC, the Golden Chariot has been equipped with upholstered furniture, refurbished rooms and bathrooms, new linen and cutlery. Every vestibule has a smart TV with Wi-Fi for streaming facility. In addition, safety features like CCTVs and fire precautions have also been upgraded in the train. Considering the ongoing pandemic, the IRCTC has also framed certain safety norms for the health safety of all passengers and staff members during the train journey. - Train coaches and passenger luggage would be disinfected at regular intervals during the trip. - Tour managers, drivers, guides and other personnel deployed by the IRCTC will go through regular thermal screening and medical checks. Staff members need to be equipped with sanitation kits, masks, gloves and sanitisers. - Information regarding protocols to be followed when visiting heritage sites and monuments—including guidelines and forms—will be supplied in advance to passengers. Vehicles used in the tours will have restricted seating capacity to ensure physical distancing among the tourists. Meal venues included in the tours will be checked for hygiene levels by the IRCTC staff. Minimal-contact buffet is also in the offing. In addition, the KSTDC has also laid down rules for all the passengers, tour directors, guides, drivers and other members of staff, such as maintaining social distancing (6 feet), wearing face masks, and carrying sanitisers. Golden Chariot luxury train packages The tour starts from January 2021 and will run till March 2021. The train will be to and from Bengaluru. Tickets can be booked through the luxury train’s official website. Itinerary 6N/7D – Bandipur National Park, Chikamangalur, Aihole, Mysuru, Halebid, Pattadakal, Hampi and Goa. 6N/7D – Mysuru, Thanjavur, Chettinad, Hampi, Mahabalipuram,Kumarakom and Kochi. 3N/4D – Bandipur, Hampi and Mysuru. Package inclusions The package cost includes meals onboard meals, beers and spirits, complimentary house wines, entrance fees for monuments and heritage sites, air-conditioned bus tours with tour guides and meals during tours.

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Kalka-Shimla toy train back in service after gap of 7 months

After remaining suspended for seven months, a daily ‘toy’ train will resume service on the Kalka-Shimla railway track starting Wednesday, the Northern Railways said. The Kalka-Shimla Express Special, whose number has been revised to 04515/04516, will depart from Kalka at 12:10 and arrive in Shimla at 17:20 after stopping at 10 other stations en route. The down train will depart from Shimla the next day at 10:40 and reach Kalka at 16:10, said railway authorities. The train has seven coaches and will run daily. An official said that the train service is being resumed keeping in mind the festival season rush. Train services on the track were suspended in March when the country went into lockdown to battle the coronavirus. On September 6, a special train was run from Solan to Shimla for the benefit of candidates appearing for an examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. Ultimately, it had carried only two passengers — a candidate and his parent — while the down train ran without any passengers. The Kalka Shimla Railway, part of the Mountain Railways of India, was included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2008. The 96 kilometre-long railway line from Kalka in Haryana to Shimla passes through 102 tunnels, 988 bridges and 917 curves some of which are as sharp as 48 degrees, according to the Indian Railways. The longest tunnel near Barog is 1,143 metres long. According to Tourism Industry Stakeholders Association Shimla, the continued suspension of trains from Kolkata to Kalka has a direct impact on the occupancy of hotels and homestays in Shimla, especially during the Durga Puja holidays when tourists from Bengal come to Himachal in large numbers. The occupancy in hotels is 15 to 20 per cent this year as compared to usual 70 to 80 per cent during the festive season, said Mohinder Seth, President of the Association. Seth said tourists from Gujarat and Maharashtra also come to Himachal in large numbers during the Navratri holidays around Diwali, but are being deterred this time due to various reasons.

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Mumbai Port Trust to start water taxis from domestic cruise terminal to Mandwa

The Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) is looking to initiate water taxi services from the city’s domestic cruise terminal (DCT) at Princess Dock from next month. The MbPT is planning to operate water taxis between Mumbai and Belapur, Vashi, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and Mandwa initially. Officials said that they had shortlisted around six agencies to operate the water taxis, of which, one or even two operators are likely to start services soon. The water taxis will facilitate reaching Navi Mumbai in around 30-40 minutes instead of close to one and half hour travel by road. Captain Bhabatosh Chand, Deputy Conservator, Marine Department, MbPT, said the charges for the services will be determined by the operator. In February 2020, the MbPT had started the roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) passenger services from South Mumbai to Alibaug which proved to be a hit with passengers after it was resumed services in August 20 post the lockdown. According to M2M Ferries Pvt Ltd, which operates the services, more than 5,000 passengers, 1,200 cars, 270 two-wheelers and cyclists took a trip on the ferry between August 20 and the first week of September.

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Covid-19 accelerates consumer preferences towards OTAs in APAC: Google

While the pandemic has brought about a complete shift in travel behaviour and demands, it has also increased complexities for service providers and accelerated consumer preferences towards OTAs in Asia Pacific region, said Hermione Joye, Sector Lead, Travel and Vertical Search APAC, Google, in her opening remarks at ITB Asia 2020 virtual edition. "Despite the pandemic, there is still demand for travel in APAC. There is a pent up demand in APAC for travel, and we see one in two consumers eager to travel." Throwing light on ‘Identifying Trends to Prepare for the Road Ahead’ Joye suggested effective communication with clarity, establishing and improving digital presence and monitoring and being with latest trends as key requirements for businesses. Leisure travellers now account for majority of travel demand, and there is a three times increase in search for staycations among Asia Pacific markets since January 2020, shared Joye. “The number one motivation for travel is family getaways. It is time to rethink messaging and focus on targeted traveller and promote service offerings that would make your brand top of mind. Priorities have changed and safety and flexibility are now prioritised over brand and loyalty. 5 out of 7 APAC markets have more consumers valuing flexible policies over travel brand reputation.” She said that in travellers from India, China, Japan and Indonesia still prefer hotels, while vacation rentals have gained popularity in Australia and New Zealand.

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