**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer provided by the Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, to a question in Lok Sabha regarding the Bharat Gaurav Trains. The response details the implementation of the Bharat Gaurav Trains policy launched in November 2021 to promote tourism, its impact, and the destinations it covers, including those in Tamil Nadu. The document also states that as of 31.12.2025, 206 trips have been operated, facilitating 1,18,646 tourists.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Bharat Gaurav Trains Policy:**
* Launched in November 2021
* Theme-based tourist circuit trains aim to showcase India's cultural heritage.
* Service providers have flexibility in deciding themes/itineraries.
* **Inclusivity and Benefits:**
* The policy promotes local tourism development.
* It gives benefits to local communities.
* **Coverage and Routes:**
* Covers tourist destinations in Tamil Nadu including Chennai, Coimbatore, and Madurai.
* As of 31.12.2025, 206 trips have been operated, facilitating 1,18,646 tourists.
* Tourists utilise local services, impacting the local economy positively.
* **Destinations of specific Bharat Gaurav trains including those in Tamil Nadu:**
* Shirdi Sai Temple Yatra
* Shri Ramayana Yatra
* Divya Kashi- Adi Amavasya Special
* Onam Holiday Special/Frontier Holiday Special
* Mahalaya Amavasya Special
* Sampoorna Yatra
* Shakti Peeth Special
* Maha Shivaratri Special –Kashi Yatra
* Masi Magam Special Nava Jyotirlinga Yatra
* Sri Rameswaram-Tirupati Dakshin Darshan Yatra
* Dakshin Bharat Yatra
* Sri Athi Rudra Maha Yagnam Special Saptha Jyotirlinga Yathra
* Goa Summer Special
* Kashmir Valley Special
* Divya Kshetradanam
* Rameswaram Madurai Tour
* Chennai-Madurai-Tour
* Char Dham Yatra
* Splendors of Deccan
* Diwali Ganga Snan Yathirai
* Royal Rajasthan with Goa and Statue of Unity
* Jain Yatra
* Shri Ram Kalyana Yathra in Ayodhya with Nava Shakthi Peeth Yathra
* Chengalpattu-Prayagraj-Varanasi-Chengalpattu
* Thanjavur-Secunderabad-Thanjavur
* Kashi Rameswaram Teerthdanam Special with Ayodhya
* Narmada Pushkaram Special
* Paradise on Earth
* Punya Tirtha Yatirai
* Kedar-Badri-Kartik (Murugan) Koil Yathirai
* Uttar Darshan Yatra
* Mahalaya Paksha- Moksha Sthala Yatra
* Swami Udit Chaitanya's Yathra
* Maragasira Masam Special
* Royal Rajasthan
* Pravasi Bhartiya Yatra
* Thai Amavasai
* Maha Kumbh Punya Kshetra Yatra
* Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari Darshan
* Sri Kshetra Daiva Kalyanotsavam
* 07 Jyotirlinga Yatra
* State Teerth Bharat Gaurav Trains
**Impact Analysis**
**Local Artisans, Small Businesses, Homestays, and Tourism-Dependent Communities**
* **Impact:** Benefits from increased tourism and utilization of local services such as road transportation, hotels, restaurants, and handicraft shops.
* **Action Required:** Ensure service offerings align with the themes and itineraries of the Bharat Gaurav tourist circuit trains and meet tourist demands.
**Service Providers**
* **Impact:** Flexibility to decide the themes/itineraries for the Bharat Gaurav tourist circuit trains and the potential to expand tourism in the state of Tamil Nadu based on market demand and commercial viability.
* **Action Required:** Develop comprehensive packages with rail transportation, accommodation, meals, local road transport, and sightseeing facilities.
Key Entities Referenced
Bharat Gaurav Trains: A policy of Indian Railways launched in November 2021 to run theme-based tourist circuit trains showcasing India's cultural heritage.
Tamil Nadu: One of the main locations of the Bharat Gaurav Trains tourist circuits.
Ministry of Railways: The Government body responsible for enacting the Bharat Gaurav Trains policy.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2008
TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.02.2026
BHARAT GAURAV TRAINS
2008. SHRI THARANIVENTHAN M S:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has assessed the impact of Bharat Gaurav
Trains on cultural awareness, domestic tourism and socio-economic
development in the regions covered by these trains and if so, the details
thereof;
(b) the details of routes operated from or passing through Tamil Nadu along
with passenger numbers and revenue generated during the last three
years;
(c) whether any studies have been undertaken to evaluate the benefits of
Bharat Gaurav trains to local artisans, small businesses, homestays and
tourism-dependent communities and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government proposes to expand Bharat Gaurav services to
showcase Tamil Nadu’s cultural heritage, temple architecture, classical
arts and pilgrimage circuits and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the details of the steps taken to ensure that the scheme promotes
inclusive, sustainable and locally beneficial tourism rather than being
limited to private sector interests?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (e): Indian Railways have issued ‘Bharat Gaurav Trains’ policy in
November’ 2021, under which theme based tourist circuit trains are being
run with the objective to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and
magnificent historical places to the people of India and the world. As per
this policy, service providers have full flexibility to decide the
themes/itineraries for operation of Bharat Gaurav tourist circuit trains,
§which may include tourist circuits of any part of India including the state of
Tamil Nadu, based on market demand, commercial viability etc. The
Service Provider offers a comprehensive package with facility of rail
transportation, accommodation, meals, local road transport, sightseeing
etc. Hence, the scheme promotes the benefits to the local community
leading to sustainable tourism development at the tourist destinations.
Bharat Gaurav Trains cover various tourist destinations in Tamil Nadu
including Chennai, Coimbatore, Kanchipuram, Mahabalipuram,
Rameswaram, Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur, Madurai, Kanyakumari,
Thiruvannamalai etc. As on 31.12.2025, 206 trips of Bharat Gaurav Trains
have been operated covering various tourist destinations in Tamil Nadu,
facilitating 1,18,646 tourists. These tourists have extensively utilised local
services such as road transportation, hotels, restaurants, food outlets,
handicraft shops and other amenities thereby having a positive impact on
the growth of the local economy in the state.
Bharat Gaurav tourist circuit trains covering various tourist destinations
including those in Tamil Nadu are as under:
S.No Bharat Gaurav Tourist Circuit Tourist destinations covered
Trains
1. Shirdi Sai Temple Yatra Coimbatore -Tiruppur- Erode -
Salem –Bangalore-
Mantralayam– Shirdi and back
2. Shri Ramayana Yatra New Delhi - Ayodhya -
Sitamarhi - Janakpur (Nepal) -
Buxar - Varanasi - Prayagraj -
Chitrakoot - Nasik - Hampi -
Rameswaram - Kanchipuram -
Bhadrachalam - Delhi
Safdarjung
3. Divya Kashi- Adi Amavasya Madurai - Chennai-Vijayawada-
Special Puri- Kolkata- Gaya- Varanasi-
Prayagraj- Vijayawada-
Chennai- Madurai
4. Onam Holiday Special/Frontier Madurai - Mysore-Hosapete-
Holiday Special Hyderabad- Aurangabad-Kevadia/Ekta Nagar- Madgaon-
Madurai
5. Mahalaya Amavasya Special Madurai- Prayagraj- Gaya-
Varanasi- Ayodhya-
Naimisharanya Road-
Haridwar- Delhi Safdarjung-
Mathura- Jhansi- Madurai
6. Sampoorna Yatra Madurai - Chennai-
Secunderabad - Manikpur -
Prayagraj - Ayodhya - Varanasi
- Gaya - Puri - Rameshwaram -
Madurai - Chennai-
Secunderabad
7. Shakti Peeth Special Madurai - Prayagraj - Varanasi -
Gaya - Kamakhya - Kolkata -
Puri - Madurai
8. Maha Shivaratri Special –Kashi Coimbatore - Secunderabad -
Yatra Prayagraj - Ayodhya - Gaya -
Varanasi - Coimbatore
9. Masi Magam Special Nava Madurai - Ujjain - Somnath -
Jyotirlinga Yatra Nasik Road - Aurangabad -
Nanded - Parli - Srisailam -
Madurai
10. Sri R ameswaram-Tirupati Dakshin Mumbai(CSMT) - Mysuru -
Darshan Yatra Bangalore - Kanyakumari -
Thiruvananthapuram -
Rameswaram - Madurai -
Tirupati - Mumbai(CSMT)
11. Dak shin Bharat Yatra Sikar - Rameswaram - Madurai- Kanyakumari - Tirupati –
Mallikarjuna Srisailam - Sikar
12. Sri A thi Rudra Maha Yagnam Coimbatore -Ujjain - Somnath -
Special Saptha Jyotirlinga Yathra Nashik Road - Aurangabad -
Nanded - Kurnool - Coimbatore
13. Goa Summer Special Madurai - Madgaon - Madurai
14. Kas hmir Valley Special Coimbatore - Udhampur - By
Road to Srinagar, Sonmarg to
Gulmarg - Amritsar - Agra -
Coimbatore
15. Divy a Kshetradanam Nagercoil Jn - Puri - Kolkata -
Gaya - Varanasi - Prayagraj -
Nagercoil Jn
16. Ram eswaram Madurai Tour Bhagat Ki Kothi - Rameswaram
- Madurai - Bhagat Ki Kothi
17. Che nnai-Madurai-Tour Chennai - Madurai - Chennai
18. Cha r Dham Yatra Delhi - Rishikesh - Joshimath -
Badrinath - Varanasi - Puri -
Rameswaram - Madurai -
Hampi - Nashik - Dwarka -
Delhi
19. Sple ndors of Deccan Madurai - Aurangabad (Ellora &
Ajanta) - Mumbai - Madgaon -
Madurai
20. Diw ali Ganga Snan Yathirai Tenkasi - Prayagraj - Varanasi -
Gaya - Rameswaram - Tenkasi
21. Roy al Rajasthan with Goa and Coimbatore - Madgaon -
Statue of Unity Jodhpur - Jaisalmer - Bikaner -
Jaipur - Ajmer - Udaipur - EktaNagar - Coimbatore
22. Jain Yatra Chennai - Palitana - Chennai
23. Shri Ram Kalyana Yathra in Coimbatore - Puri - Jajpur-
Ayodhya with Nava Shakthi Peeth Gaya - Varanasi - Ayodhya -
Yathra Katra - Mathura- Ujjain -
Coimbatore
24. Che ngalpattu-Prayagraj-Varanasi- Chengalpattu - Prayagraj -
Chengalpattu Varanasi - Chengalpattu
25. Tha njavur-Secunderabad- Thanjavur- Secunderabad -
Thanjavur Thanjavur
26. Kas hi Rameswaram Teerthdanam Coimbatore - Gaya - Varanasi -
Special with Ayodhya Ayodhya - Prayagraj -
Coimbatore
27. Nar mada Pushkaram Special Chennai - Jabalpur - Prayagraj -
Varanasi - Ayodhya - Ujjain -
Chennai
28. Para dise on Earth Coimbatore - Agra - Mathura -
Delhi - Katra - Amritsar - Agra -
Coimbatore
29. Pun ya Tirtha Yatirai Tirunelveli - Ayodhya -
Prayagraj - Varanasi - Gaya -
Tirunelveli
30. Ked ar-Badri-Kartik (Murugan) Koil Madurai - Rishikesh -
Yathirai Rudraprayag - Guptkashi -
Kedarnath - Joshimath -
Badrinath - Madurai
31. Utta r Darshan Yatra Coimbatore - Agra - Delhi -
Amritsar - Haridwar - Ayodhya -
Varanasi - Gaya - Prayagraj -Coimbatore
32. Mah alaya Paksha- Moksha Sthala Madurai - Prayagraj - Varanasi -
Yatra Ayodhya - Mathura - Ujjain -
Somnath - Dwarka - Siddhpur -
Madurai
33. Swa mi Udit Chaitanya’s Yathra Madurai - Mathura - Ayodhya -
Varanasi - Prayagraj - Madurai
34. Mar agasira Masam Special Chennai - Hosapete - Hassan
(Kollur & Udupi) - Mysuru -
Chennai
35. Roy al Rajasthan Madurai - Madgaon -
Ahemadabad - Jodhpur -
Jaisalmer - Jaipur - Ajmer -
Udaipur - Ekta Nagar - Madurai
36. Prav asi Bhartiya Yatra Delhi - Ayodhya - Varanasi -
Patna - Gaya - Chennai -
Rameswaram - Madurai -
Ernakulam - Madgaon - Ekta
Nagar - Ajmer - Agra - Delhi
37. Tha i Amavasai Madurai - Puri - Kolkata - Gaya
- Varanasi - Ayodhya -
Prayagraj - Madurai
38. Mah a Kumbh Punya Kshetra Yatra Tirunelveli - Prayagraj -
Varanasi - Ayodhya -
Tirunelveli
39. Vas avi Kanyaka Parameswari Salem - Tanuku (Penugonda) -
Darshan Salem
40. Sri K shetra Daiva Kalyanotsavam Chennai - Prayagraj - Varanasi -
Janakpur - Sitamarhi - Ayodhya- Naimisharanya - Vrindavan -
Mathura - Chennai
41. 07 J yotirlinga Yatra Madurai-Ujjain-
Somnath/Veraval-Nashik-
Aurangabad-Nanded-Prabhani-
Parli-Markapur/Srisailam-
Madurai
42. Stat e Teerth Bharat Gaurav Jaipur-Rameswaram-Jaipur
Trains
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