Indian Railways is on a path of revolutionising train-related services. After initiatives like introducing Bullet Train, making railways hygienic, solving the crisis of trains getting late, Indian Railways has come up with yet another revolutionary move. Pod Hotels at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj terminus is the next step in its positive evolution.
Pod Hotels to be available in Mumbai
Indian Railways have announced the establishment of Japanese-style Pod Hotels at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus at Mumbai Central Railway station. According to the details availed by the Indian Railways, the hotel has been constructed on the first floor of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj railway station.
It is spread over an area of 3000 sqft with a mezzanine floor. Currently, a total of 48 tablet-sized rooms have been constructed. These include 30 classic pods, 10 private pods, 7 separate pods for women, and 1 for differently-abled. Muted shades of beige, brown, and white are the colour combinations available for the pods.
Sneak Peek!
Welcome to the new-age Pod retiring rooms by @RailMinIndia at Mumbai Central. pic.twitter.com/NR7OCsxYeg— Ashwini Vaishnaw (मोदी का परिवार) (@AshwiniVaishnaw) November 17, 2021
Every modern facility available
The pods are furnished with a TV, a small locker, a mirror, an adjustable air conditioner, air filter vents, reading lights. Additionally, they will also be provided with interior lighting, mobile charging, smoke detectors, and ‘do not disturb’ indicators.
The pod-styled hotel has complimentary facilities like 24-hour check-in, complimentary Wi-Fi complimentary use of the business centre, complimentary breakfast ironing board, washrooms and Luggage storage.
The tariffs have been decided by keeping the requirements and budget of the Indian population in mind. Currently, the charge is Rs 999 for staying in the room for 12-hours, while Rs 1,999 will be charged for a 24-hour stay in a classic pod.
The transparent procedure adopted in awarding the contract
The contract to construct these Japanese-style pods was awarded to a company called Urban Pod through an open tender process.
In a statement, IRCTC said, “IRCTC in collaboration with Indian Railways has commissioned its first sophisticated and State of Art ‘POD’ concept Retiring Rooms at Mumbai Central Railway station, the first of its kind on Indian Railways…travellers will now get to experience a completely new boarding facility when they arrive at Mumbai Central”.
Railway and its Herculean rise
As reported by the TFI, Railways has been on a roll when it comes to contributing towards nation-building. During the Covid-19 crisis, it emerged as one of the most active government ministries to help curtail the effects of the virus. It took on the responsibility of carrying nearly 60 lakh migrants to their homes. Similarly, it augmented its capacity and helped hugely in the transportation of fruits, vegetables, and foodgrains in the country.
Recently, Indian Railways finally extended to Manipur, a huge landmark in Independent India.
Read more: As it did during the first wave, Indian Railways is helping states fight the second wave of Corona
With the initiatives like Sattvik certificate, Vande Bharat trains, Make-in-India coaches, Bullet trains, Railways under Prime Minister Modi, ex-Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, and current minister Ashwini Vaishnav have done what previous governments could not do in 70 years. Pod Hotels is just a nod in a string of Raiways’ modernisation.
