Deccan Odyssey likely to begin operations from Sept

On the delay in starting services, the official said although a new operator has been appointed, there was no free track available to take the rake up to the depot, delaying the start of refurbishing. “The train was parked on a siding track near Mulund. As traffic on the suburban section is high, the railways took time. At the siding track, as there is no light and water, refurbishing work could not begin,” the official said.

The Deccan Odyssey was completely shut during the pandemic. In 2014, travel company Cox and Kings was given the contract to manage its on-board and off-board services, sales, marketing and operational activities for a period of five years by the MTDC. However, the company went bankrupt.

When it was operational before the pandemic, the Deccan Odyssey offered six different trips, each with a unique name. The price of the trips ranged from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 11 lakh, depending on the travel package one selected. The MTDC has now appointed Ebix Travel to operate the train. An MTDC official said the operator has already started bookings for the train, which mainly caters to NRIs and foreign tourists.

The Deccan Odyssey will also do trips across the country. Earlier, it covered tourist spots only in Maharashtra and allowed travellers to get a glimpse of the rich cultural heritage of the state. The luxury train comprised 22 coaches, of which 11 were to accommodate guests and the rest were used for different purposes such as dining, lounge, conference car and health spa.

India presently has five luxury trains — Palace On Wheels, Deccan Odyssey, Golden Chariot, Royal Rajasthan On Wheels and the Maharajas’ Express.