Indians wary, as Italians first to experience Odyssey

Ninety Italians, will be the first to board the Deccan Odyssey as it flags-off from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus on the evening of February 11. The magnificent 18-rake train is an odyssey to the ambition of the Maharashtra government.
But right from day one, this luxury train on wheels has reminded the state that ambition alone is not enough.Now, so close to operational status, one too many creases still have to be ironed out. No less than executive chairman of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, Pune branch, is worried about what is going to happen to the tourists when they get off the palace on wheels at the various stops.
Speaking for the Pune leg, he says, I understand from the brochures, that there will be a lot of involvement from local folk artistes. But where are these artistes? From Pune’s point of view, I am not aware of any such agenda," he says.
The seven-day state tour on the Odyssey costs $350 a night, and includes sightseeing. It seems the train itself has hogged the attention and the MTDC has forgotten about the sightseeing. The train only travels at night and passengers are meant to spend the day sightseeing.
C K Sharma, vehemently denies that the sightseeing has been overlooked. "Everything is being controlled by the MTDC headquarters in Mumbai, so Pune may not be aware. But all is in place," Sharma claims.
Inquiries about the train are pouring in, but, right now, they are not exactly translating into bookings.
Tour operators are pushing the train among their foreign clientele, while Indians seem to be adopting a wait and watch attitude.
"The MTDC office gets about 60 to 70 calls per day about the Deccan Odyssey, but the initial booking was made by a tour operator from Italy," says Sharma.