IRCTC’s first pod hotel: In a huge perk for Indian Railways passengers, IRCTC is all set to provide affordable lodging comfort at Mumbai Central railway station. Two non-air-conditioned waiting rooms at the Mumbai Central station will soon be turned into Indian Railways’ first pod hotel, which will provide affordable accommodation for Indian Railways passengers. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), will construct the pod hotel and is presently working on the design and infrastructural setup which will be made available in the pod hotel. Rahul Himalian, Group General Manager (GGM), Western Zone, IRCTC told Financial Express Online that an area of about 3000 square feet has been earmarked on the first floor at Mumbai Central station where the pods will be constructed. According to him, some of the features and other important details of the new IRCTC pod hotel service are as follows:
Indian Railways first pod hotel by IRCTC – features, amenities and other details:
- The IRCTC pod hotel will consist of a large number of concise and ultra-modern ‘capsules’ or rooms.
- Presently, three waiting rooms exist at Mumbai Central station, out of which Western Railways has allocated two non-air-conditioned waiting rooms for the pod hotels. The pod hotel will come up on the first floor of the Mumbai Central station’s main building.
- Himalian said that IRCTC has not finalized the exact number of pods or capsules which will be constructed, however, tentatively, 20 pods have been planned as of now.
- According to him, it is too early to reveal the amount which IRCTC will charge for these pod hotels, however, the cost will be definitely much cheaper than the retiring rooms.
- Mumbai already has the country’s first pod capsule hotel, namely, Urbanpod which was opened in Andheri in the year 2017. These pod hotels comprise three types of capsules which are the classic pod, private pod and the suite pod. IRCTC plans to pick up the same specifications of these pod hotels at the Mumbai Central station.
- The designs and technicalities of pod hotel service are being finalised by IRCTC, after which tenders will be floated within two months. The entire project will be finalized within four months once the IRCTC Corporate office issues the tenders for the pod hotel project, added Rahul Himalian.
- The common area of the pod hotel will have the amenities of toilets, lounge, cafeteria, changing rooms. The individual pods will have recliners, beds will pillows and blankets, lamps, power socket, lockers and few other facilities.
Source: Financial Express
Image Source: Hindustan Times