Odisha soon to join list of states having own 'Palace on Wheels' train

Indian Railways is all set to cash in on the tourism potential in Odisha's pristine beaches, cultural and heritage sites and charming wildlife. The eastern state may soon own a luxury train — similar to the iconic Palace on Wheels — showcasing the beauty of places like Puri, Bhubaneshwar, Cuttack and Konark to the outside world.

With this, Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) is set to enter the elite league of states like Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka that manage luxury trains targeting overseas consumers. The ministry of railways had invited proposals from around 15 states to own tourism trains in the month of February. However, only Odisha had responded to this ambitious plan.

The plan was finalised after a meeting between the railway officials and Odisha Chief Secretary A P Padhi in Bhubaneswar in July. A team of OTDC may visit Delhi in August to finalise the model of ownership. At present, Indian railways operate five luxury trains namely Palace on Wheels, Heritage Palace on Wheels (both by Rajasthan), Deccan Odyssey (Maharashtra), Golden Chariot (Karnataka) and Maharajas’ Express (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation).

Uber's autorickshaw service back in India 2 years after it was shut down

Cab-hailing major Uber is re-launching its 'AUTO' service in India, almost two years after shutting down the offering in March 2016, starting with Bengaluru and Pune.

The US-based company, which is locked in an intense battle with homegrown player Ola, will allow customers to book autorickshaw rides through 'AUTO' option on its platform later this month in these two cities.

Ola, which also allows booking autorickshaw rides under 'Auto' service, had launched the offering in Bengaluru and Chennai in 2014. Ola Auto is currently operational across 73 cities with over 120,000 lakh autos associated with the company.

An Uber spokesperson said the company had "paused" the service "to see how that side of India's transport ecosystem evolves".

"Auto rickshaws are ubiquitous to mobility options in many Indian cities. To expand transportation choices for our riders, we are excited to launch AUTO in Bengaluru and Pune," the spokesperson told PTI.

In its previous attempt, Uber's AUTO offering was available in New Delhi, Coimbatore, Indore and Bhubaneshwar.

"We are re-launching AUTO starting with two cities. Gradual geographical expansion like this is common to how we operate in cities around the world and it is something that we are looking at very closely," the spokesperson said.
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