Saturday, February 4, 2012

Soon, it will be a luxurious wait at CST

Soon, it will be a luxurious wait at CST

http://cdn.epaper.dnaindia.com/EpaperImages//mumbai//03022012//d119841.jpg

Are you put off by the food on offer at stalls and the quality of waiting rooms at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST)? Some respite may be in sight. If things move as per plan, a diverse offering of Mumbai’s street food and an airport-styled ‘executive lounge’ at the iconic railway terminus will provide a much welcome change.
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and Central Railway (CR) have been in talks to start an executive lounge with premium facilities and a street food plaza, where prominent and well-regarded street food vendors such as Cannon and Bade Miyan etc are likely to be invited to start their services.
http://cdn.epaper.dnaindia.com/EpaperImages//mumbai//03022012//d119840-large.jpg
Virender Singh, group general manager, Western Region, IRCTC, confirmed the plan. “We have had discussions about it with the Central Railway officials. The executive lounge concept is being tried out in Delhi presently and has been planned for 50 major railway stations and termini across the country. It is too early to say when we will start the services as we are yet to get the required space,” said Singh, adding, “We will ensure strict monitoring of hygiene standards so only those willing to comply will be permitted,” he said.
Interestingly, while some senior CR officials said the issue has been kept on the backburner, others claimed it was now upto the IRCTC to take the decision. “Engineering drawings for both facilities are still being prepared, so it is quite early to predict the location. But it is most likely to come up near the existing Refresh food plaza on the main line concourse near the passage which leads to platform 14,” said an official.
Chief spokesperson for CR, VA Malegaonkar, said the proposal is in its initial stages. “We have written to the IRCTC about the idea and are waiting for its response to take things forward,” said Malegaonkar. He confirmed that the location being considered was near the Refresh food plaza and near the passage to platform 14.

No comments:

Post a Comment