New Delhi rly station to have plush lounge

The New Delhi 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 transactions.

The capital will be the first station to have the facility which will also be provided to all metros.

The lounge will be open to all classes of passengers for a payment. 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.

Budget approval

The scheme has been approved for the current year’s budget. The endeavour is part of the scheme to develop 100 world class stations across the country.

In New Delhi station, “the site has been selected at the new station building at the Ajmeri Gate side,” said an IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) official.

An area of around 300 sq m had been earmarked for this.
Some among the stations to get the facility are important travel destinations like Hazrat Nizamuddin,  Thiruvananthapuram, Kanpur, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Allahabad and Jaipur. The lounge will be operated by the IRCTC, a public sector unit of Indian Railways.

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 in our country,” he added.

The railway lounge will have food and beverage stall, high class toilet facility, newspapers and magazines and retailing of journey conveniences.