Two rail coach restaurants – similar to one at the Mysuru rail museum shown here – is proposed to be established in the city.
| Photo Credit: M.A. Sriram
In a move that may attract both tourists and locals alike, the Mysuru Division of the South Western Railway plans to roll out two rail-coach restaurants in the city to provide a unique dining experience.
While one of the rail-coach restaurant will be established at the entrance of the main station, the second restaurant is planned opposite the Chamarajapuram Railway Station next to the city courts.
The e-auction for the allotment of licences for operating the rail coach restaurant, is scheduled for January 20, 2025 at 12 p.m. via the IREPS portal at www.ireps.gov.in.
Explaining the concept of rail coach restaurant Girish Dharmaraj Kalagonda, Divisional Commercial Manager, said the rail coach restaurants will feature the timeless appeal of old railway interiors, complemented by contemporary facilities, offering high-quality food and refreshments.
“Strategically located within station premises, these restaurants will cater to the needs of passengers while enhancing their overall travel experience. Additionally, the initiative reflects South Western Railway’s commitment to sustainability by repurposing old coaches, thereby contributing to both passenger comfort and environmental responsibility,” he added.
At present, there are similar restaurants operating successfully in Bengaluru and Hubballi while across India there are more than 65 such ventures and have proved to be popular with public and travellers alike, besides being a revenue earner for the railways.
Mr. Girish said though there is a rail coach cafeteria within the Mysuru Rail Museum, the entry is restricted to those visiting the museum while the eating options are also limited. But the proposed facility within the Mysuru station premises will be a full-fledged restaurant that will cater to the needs of the travellers.
He said these unique dining spaces, developed from decommissioned broad gauge rail coaches and will have the capacity to hold at least 40 persons at a time.
The Mysuru station at present as a daily footfall of 55,000 passengers and it reaches nearly 1,00,000 during festivals and holidays. Though the city station is buzzling with passenger movement on a 24×7 basis given the scheduled departures and arrivals, lack of eateries is an issue. The proposed rail coach restaurant at the city station is expected to fill the vacuum and provide the tourists exploring the city heritage, with meals on wheels and take them on a culinary journey aboard a vintage train coach.
The new initiative at the city station has also given a quiet burial to a controversy that was brewing when the railways floated a tender for rail coach restaurant at the Vontikoppal Park. This was opposed by the environmentalists as it amounted to violation of the Karnataka Parks Play-fields and Open Spaces. (Preservation and Regulations) Act, 1985.
Published – January 11, 2025 07:22 pm IST