Friday, September 2 2005 19:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jaipur: Rajasthan High Court today (Sept 2, 2005) asked the Rajasthan State Government to continue with the present management of the prestigious Palace on Wheels and not get its activities outsourced.

Hearing a writ petition by the workers union of the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation which is running one of the most expensive luxury trains in the Gyan Sudha Misra directed the Secretary of Tourism and Managing Director (RTDC) to continue running the Palace on Wheels with its present management till September 10.

The workers Union charged in the petition "That the State Government, at the instance of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is adamant to outsource the activities of Palace on Wheels to the Taj group of hotels in an arbitrary manner."

Counsel Abhinav Sharma, on behalf of the Union, told the court that despite the train being a profit earning institution the State Government was bent upon getting several of its activities outsourced to the Taj group, which was the sole bidder.

The court heard both the parties and then asked the present management to continue till September 10 and further directed that even if a tender had been finalized in favor of Taj group, the management would not hand over the activities of the luxury tourist train to it till the said date.

The operation of the train is scheduled to commence its first journey in the current season from Delhi on September 7.