8th April, 2024

To All Members,

Sub: Regarding Guidelines for Marketing and Booking of Palace on Wheels issued by RTDC

Dear Friends,

This is in reference to Marketing and Booking for Palace on Wheels Luxury train being done by IATO members for international and domestic travellers.

You may be aware, RTDC has given the contract to M/s. Cube Construction Engg. Limited for operation of Palace on Wheels in during 2023.

RTDC has issued attached guidelines for promoting and marketing Palace on Wheels on 22nd January 2024 wherein in Para 2 following observations has been made:

“However, few instances have come to our knowledge of illegal and unauthorized use of the name of the Palace on wheels as domain name and its logo, thereby misguiding the potential guests to assume that the Palace on wheels is owned/ operated by them”.

In this regard court cases have been filed against a few of our members and IATO is taking legal advice on the same. It has also filed criminal complaints in the police station along with civil cases on the basis that unauthorized use of the Palace on wheels is being used. I as President IATO had a meeting with MD, RTDC and tried to settle the cases of those members, out of the court and requested MD RTDC to withdraw such cases. However, RTDC has given no assurance and expressed its inability to do so. Hence these cases are pending in the Court.

Members who are promoting/booking Palace on Wheels as of now and if they are still interested to continue, they would have to follow the attach guidelines and the same would be at their own peril. However, IATO is seeking and exploring the possibility of challenging the guidelines at the earliest. In the meantime, all members are informed and advised to go through these guidelines. I have had several meetings with a few affected members along with our legal advisor and we are exploring the possibilities as mentioned above.

Thanking you and with best regards,                                                                                                                                                         

Rajiv Mehra
President

Encl:

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