Nursing pods ease travel for new mothers
BENGALURU : Young mothers travelling through major railway stations in the Bengaluru Division can soon feed their babies in privacy and in comfort. Eight well-lit modern nursing pods equipped with comfortable cushioned seats and diaper changing units are coming up at five key stations.
The contract to install them under the Public Private Partnership model has been awarded through an open online auction to Bulls Eye Media. Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (SrDCM), Bengaluru Division, Krishna Chaitanya told The New Indian Express,
“A nursing pod opened at the Hubballi railway station earlier received very good response from the public. In our division, KSR Bengaluru City Station will have four nursing pods, one in the ladies waiting hall and one each on the combined platforms of 2/3, 5/6 and 7/8. A pod each will come up at Yesvantpur, Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT), Cantonment and Dharmapuri stations.”
These will be an addition to the feeding cubicles present at KSR Bengaluru and Bengaluru Cantonment. “As per the agreement, the licensee will install and maintain the nursing pods while Railways will permit advertising rights on the pod to the licensee. The contract will run for a period of three years,” Chaitanya said.
The private partner will pay Indian Railways an annual fee of Rs 5.35 lakh for all the eight units in Bengaluru. “This is one among the non-fare revenue steps taken up the division. Nursing Pods are looked at more as a crucial public amenity rather than a major revenue stream,” the SrDCM explained. Based on the response, it will be extended to other stations in the division in future,” he added.
Among other amenities coming up are Relaxation Centres with massage chairs at KSR Bengaluru, Yelahanka, Whitefield, KR Puram, Tumakuru, Yesvantpur and SMTV stations. Hi-tech storage facilities in the form of self-operated digital lockers with QR code scanners to store valuables and luggage at KSR Bengaluru, Yesvantpur and SMVT are in the offing.