10 Sep, 2008. AHMEDABAD: After handling rail and roads package tours, the state-owned Indian Railways Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) now plans to diversify into air package tours and has already tied up with Jet Airways for the same. 

The new ‘exclusive flyaway packages’ are aimed at luring higher income groups and are expected to attract government officials who are entitled to avail ‘leave travel concessions’. 

IRCTC, in association with Jet Airways, will offer air packages for those who can afford ‘costly air affairs.’ The destinations for these packages include Leh-Ladakh, Srinagar-Pahalgaon, Gulmarg-Sonmarg (ex-Delhi) and Andaman Nicobar Islands Andaman-Nicobar Islands (ex-Kolkata and ex- Chennai). 

IRCTC had launched rail package tours and road package tours (which include lodging and boarding) for different income groups. According to IRCTC, its ‘chartered coach booking’ service has received many takers after reducing the tariff by 65%. 

The detention charges were reduced from Rs 900 per hour to Rs 300 per hour says Pravin Parmar, chief regional manager, IRCTC, Ahmedabad. 

IRCTC also plans to introduce ‘rail package tours’ ‘Shirdi Saibaba darshan’ and ‘Mata Vaishnodevi’ from Ahmedabad. This will be aimed at the middle-income group. These would be in addition to the already operating rail package tour to Vaishnodevi and Goa from Mumbai and Bangalore. 

IRCTC also plans to introduce a ‘Thirupathi Special’ package tour from Ahmedabad. These package tours are likely to be introduced on or before the end of October this year, said Mr Parmar.