Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express passengers likely to get partial ‘refund’ for delays

New Delhi, Aug 26: India's first 'private train' Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express to be run by IRCTC, may compensate passengers in case if it is delayed by over an hour. State-run IRCTC, which has bagged the rights to run two Tejas trains is planning to begin running between Delhi and Lucknow from this October. Piyush Goyal-led Indian Railways has finalised this game-changing step as part of its 100-day action plan.

A leading daily reported that while the IRCTC plans to keep the fares comparable with the Shatabdi, it is mulling on throwing in some extras; a second meal and vending machines for free tea and coffee being two of those.

"While Railways serves breakfast, people are hungry by the time they reach Lucknow at lunchtime. So, we want to offer some snacks, which can sustain them till they finish their meeting and go for lunch," an IRCTC executive told the daily.

This may attract senior citizens as well who are anyway entitled to a 40% discount on rail fares.

How will Delhi-Lucknow and Ahmedabad-Mumbai Tejas Express be different from other trains?

IRCTC or the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation is planning to offer extra meals on the Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express. The on-board ticketing and catering staff on the new trains will not be of Indian Railways. here will be a free travel insurance of Rs 50 lakh may be added in with the Tejas tickets apart from a burglary cover for home while one is travelling.

IRCTC is also looking to replicate the airline-style toilet model for the new Tejas Express train - which means that there will only be two toilets per coach, available for the passengers to use. With reducing the number of toilets, it has freed up space for service and management of food, for which a new type of pantry is being planned. Not only this, it is also likely to reduce the cost of onboard cleanliness.

The above model of operations is expected to be replicated for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Tejas Express as well, based on the feedback from Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express.

Tejas Express Lucknow to Delhi starting date, schedule:

According to the Indian Railways time-table for 2019, the Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express will depart at 6:50 AM and arrive in Delhi at 1:35 PM every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. On the same days, Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express will leave at 3:35 PM to reach Lucknow at 10:05 PM.

The Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express is an all air-conditioned chair car service - a more premium and luxurious version of the Shatabdi Express. Some of the prominent passenger-friendly features of Tejas Express are; personalised infotainment screens, attendant call buttons, personalised reading lights, foot-rest in Executive class, modular bio-toilets, automatic sliding doors for entry/exit.