BENGALURU: The two novel Rail Coach restaurants planned for the Bengaluru Railway Division are set to become operational by the end of this month. The final touches are being given to these classy restaurants created from refurbished coaches installed on rail tracks at the entrance of KSR Bengaluru City and Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal railway stations.
The Division had earlier announced that the restaurants would be launched by October last year. The deadline was then pushed to December 2023. Even as they are being readied, these coach restaurants have emerged as sought after selfie points at the stations.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Bengaluru Division, Krishna Chaitanya, told The New Indian Express, “A similar venture at Hubballi railway station has been successful. These are part of the non-fare initiatives undertaken by the Railways.“
Each restaurant can seat up to 40 people and a sit-out permits a few more to be seated. The option of take-away food is also available. “Old and yet to be scrapped railway coaches are modified and refurbished with fabulous interiors to offer a memorable dining experience to public. These 24x7 restaurants will be fully air-conditioned. The coaches were transported from Ashokapuram depot in Mysuru. “
They have been supplied free of cost by the Railways to the contractors while the Engineering department had also readied the rail track that can fit one coach at both the stations. “Creating it was a different experience. The coach was brought on a trailer and a crane was used to lift it and place it on the new track laid for it,” he said.
The e-auction held in June 2023 for the restaurants generated a good response from bidders. “M/s Haldirams will be operating the restaurant at KSR station while Gaurav Enterprises will run it at SMVB. The contract runs for a period of five years.”
Another official said that the Division will earn Rs 87 lakh per year as fee from the licensee at KSR station, which has a footfall of nearly 2 lakh per day. The licensee at SMVT station, which has a footfall of over 60,000 daily, will pay an annual fee of Rs 33 lakh.
“The interiors are being done up now. Sanitary facilities are also getting ready at the restaurants as they will have a kitchen,” he said.
Asked about the reasons for the delay, he said those contracted to do the job faced some issues.
