Railways launches India’s first ‘Restaurant on Wheels’

New Delhi: Last year PSU Watch had reported that India got its very first fly-dining restaurant in Bengaluru. This time the same kind of news came from the Indian Railways. In its first-of-its-kind of the restaurant, the Railways has launched "Restaurant on Wheels" at Asansol railway station in West Bengal for railway passengers and citizens of the city.

This moving restaurant has been built in the circulating area of Asansol Railway station for the use of Railways passengers as well as the general public of Asansol. The Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Babul Supriyo inaugurated Indian Railways's 'Restaurant on Wheels' in a programme held at Asansol station on February 26. On the occasion, the Minister also inaugurated two new air-conditioned Retiring Rooms and Electronic Reservation chart display system and a battery-operated car at Asansol station.

2 old coaches used for the restaurant

Indian Railways used two over-aged MEMU coaches for the development of the restaurant on wheels at Asansol station circulating area. This unique effort will not only improve the facilities at Asansol station but also generate non-fare revenue earnings approximately Rs 50 lakhs in the next five years, the Indian Railways said in a statement.

Other passenger amenities

On the occasion, the Minister also launched other passenger amenities at Asansol Station in Eastern Railway, which includes Electronic Reservation Chart Display System (Developed through MPLAD fund), which will provide easy access to information about the reservation status in different trains, two new air-conditioned Retiring Rooms equipped with state-of-the-art furniture and other equipment, which will provide much comfort to the passengers and a battery-operated car, which will be very helpful for the Divyangjan and senior citizen passengers for their comfortable movement at the station area.