The Bangalore City railway station has been selected among 50 centres for the creation of an executive lounge comparable to those in airports, that would provide facilities for rest and business transctions.
Delhi has been selected for the first such lounge. Chennai, Mumbai and Agra will also get similar facilities.
The benefit will be made available to all classes of passengers. The charges and duration for which one can occupy a lounge are yet to be decided.
Among other facilities, the installation of escalators at 50 major railway stations and a Travel Desk to facilitate services like hotel or cab booking, ticket bookings for onward journey and even foreign exchange are envisaged.
Like airports, important railway stations across the country will have executive lounge with all the world class facilities. This specially designed lounge will have facilities like a business centre or enclosure with phone, fax, laptop facility, Wi-Fi and lockers. They would also contain facilities like wheel chairs for senior citizens and the handicapped, and a luggage rack.
The scheme has been approved for the current year’s budget. In New Delhi station, “the site has been selected at the new station building at the Ajmeri Gate side,” said an IRCTC official.
Some among the stations to get the facility are important travel destinations like Hazrat Nizamuddin, Thiruvananthapuram. The lounge will be operated by the IRCTC, a public sector unit of Indian Railways. Any railway passenger can use the facility by paying the charge. There would not be any class barrier.
The services will be in line with the “pre-departure and post-arrival composite facilities that may be required by the passengers,” said the official.
“There will be a slew of services on offer for the comfort and convenience of the passengers which up until now has only been the privilege of the air passengers,” he added.
The railway lounge will have food & beverage stall, high class toilet facility, newspapers and magazines.
On track
* About 50 stations, including Bangalore, will have executive lounges with world class facilities
* Specially designed lounge will have enclosure with phone, fax, laptop facility, Wi-Fi and lockers
* Wheelchairs for senior citizens and handicapped and luggage racks will also be provided
* Passengers across all classes can access the facilities by paying user charges that are yet to be fixed