Indian Railway transforms old passenger coaches into heritage looking restaurants in North Bengal
Sep 15, 2022
New Delhi [India], September 15 : Christened as 'Restaurant on Wheels' and generating an additional source of revenue, the Indian Railways is in the process of giving facelifts to old railway coaches into cosy, aesthetic, heritage-looking restaurants, said a press release on Thursday.
This rail coach restaurant is already in operation in the circulating area of Asansol railway station under the Eastern Railway in West Bengal. With the proliferation of LHB coaches, the old coaches of Indian Railways are being pulled out of service. These old train coaches, whose operations are discontinued by the Railways, have been utilised for coach restaurants, added the press release.
The coach restaurants are being designed with an aesthetic and beautiful heritage look for the attraction of travellers. People can enjoy themselves with family and friends to have ecstatic feelings while getting the experience of dining in train coaches. There will be facilities to buy food, snacks and beverages at the coach restaurants, as per the statement.
When such a restaurant was inaugurated in Asansol, the target was to raise Rs 50 lakh as non-fare revenue over a period of five years. The Non-Fare policy ensures that the Railways is adding bulk to their income through various sources other than freight and passenger receipts.
Under five-year contracts, the offeree will be able to open their restaurants in the coaches provided by Indian Railways, but the owner of the refurbished freights will remain with the Railways.
Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has also initiated to convert with some of its old train coaches, which are not fit for use, by modifying them into restaurants. A coach restaurant is ready to be operational in the New Jalpaiguri station area. Works for setting up of 15 more such coach restaurants at various locations over the five divisions of NFR have also been finalised.
In the Alipurduar division, the setting up of seven coach restaurants, one each at New Coochbehar, New Alipurduar, Madarihat, Lataguri, Chalsa, Raja Bhat Khawa and New Mal has been finalised. Coach restaurants are being planned and works are under progress at eight locations in Alipurduar.
Apart from generating non-fare revenue for railways, this initiative of NFR is expected to create employment for both skilled and unskilled workers.
