Following a PIL filed by a tour operator alleging sub-leasing of Deccan Odyssey, the luxury train, chief justice Swatanter Kumar and justice AM Khanwilkar have directed the Maharastra State Tourism Department (MTDC) to file a detailed reply in the case in one week. Although the court has not restrained the train from commencing its tours from November 18, it has stated that the train’s fate will depend on the final outcome of the petition before the court.
Taking objection to the train plying through tourist destinations in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi instead of within Maharashtra, agriculturist and tour operator Harshad Gawade from Vengurla has urged the court to quash the agreement between the MTDC and The Luxury Trains and the Travel Corporation (India) Limited who have sub-leased the train to a Delhi-based private company recently. The petition claims that the company has changed the name of the train to Indian Maharaja and plan to run the train to places other than Maharashtra.
The Deccan Odyssey was launched in 2003 to run across major tourist destinations in Maharashtra such as Tarkarli, Sindhudurg, Kolhapur and the world heritage caves of Ajanta and Ellora. Gawande’s advocate Janak Dwarkadas argued that MTDC approached the Union government to modernise and equip the train to promote tourism and were given a grant of Rs14 crore. “Thereafter, they go and lease it, and it is further sub-leased. Maharashtra is forgotten. They divert the purpose,” said Dwarkadas.
“This would lead to a tremendous loss of earnings, livelihood, income to the local and rural population of Maharashtra,” Ganwade stated in his petition.
He has urged the court to quash and set aside the lease agreements and restrain the train from plying to any destination outside Maharashtra. MTDC’s advocate Anil Anturkar denied that the corporation has permanently leased the train.
Comments