IRCTC plans tours for physically challenged

The physically challenged can experience some incredible India moments now that the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has planned a tour just for them.

The IRCTC's West zone will be the first to run a special train under the Bharat Darshan initiative. The corporation has been running low-budget tours under the Bharat Darshan brand across the country for the last 18 months. The ticket will be Rs 500 per person per day for a six to 12-day tour, depending on the distance travelled.

A six-day tour will begin in the last week of October from Mumbai CST, and will travel via Pune to Bangalore and Mysore. "After the successful run of Bharat Darshan tours, we have now planned a tour exclusively for the challenged. The first tour includes destinations like Bangalore and Mysore. The train will start from Mumbai CST and travel via Pune and Solapur," said Ambrish Kumar, assistant manager, tourism and marketing, IRCTC Mumbai.

An IRCTC official from Pune said that attendants will be allowed to travel along with the challenged. The charge is inclusive of food, sightseeing and accommodation wherever night halts are made. The train can ferry around 500 tourists in about seven coaches. Guides and tour escorts will be available. Each coach will have security.

An official said that although the Bharat Darshan tours have attracted tourists of all ages, most travellers were senior citizens. Pune was the first city in the West zone where the tour began. More than 40 tours have gone through Pune so far. The IRCTC may add additional rakes for tourist season, he added.

Source;Times of India