The Indian Railways in Uttar Pradesh are set to offer a unique dining experience to food enthusiasts by converting their scrapped or discarded train coaches into fine dining restaurants. The restaurant owners will be given a three to five-year lease to turn these coaches into exotic looking restaurants. The Indian Railways also plans to open an open-air railway museum, which would enlighten visitors about the history of railways and previous mechanisms and equipment used.
The railway officials have announced that Charbagh, Gomti Nagar, Sidhauli (Sitapur), Gorakhpur, Varanasi junction, Varanasi city, Agra Cantt, and Jhansi will have coach restaurants within one to two months. Currently, only NER’s Banaras and Izzatnagar railway stations in Uttar Pradesh are operating restaurant on wheels.
According to Ashok Kumar, PRO of Varanasi division of NER zone, the restaurant on wheels concept has received an overwhelming response from the public. At Agra Cantt, the coach will be given a royal makeover with ‘Jharokha’ windows, vintage lamps, and royal style dining table sets. The coach is expected to accommodate nearly four dozen visitors at a time. Agra Cantt station premises with 15,000 sqft area will also be used to construct an open-air railway museum.
Divisional commercial manager of Agra railway division, Prashasti Srivastava, stated that the railways will provide all vintage equipment used in earlier train operations along with historical text to the restaurant and hotel operator, who will then use it to build an open-air museum. While museum visits will be free of cost, dining in a restaurant on wheels will be a paid service.
Soon, visitors can enjoy their meals in a unique setting while learning about India’s rich railway history through the open-air museum. The Railways’ initiative will not only offer a one-of-a-kind dining experience but also provide them with a non-fare revenue opportunity. As the Indian Railways continue to innovate and create unique experiences, the initiative is bound to find success among food enthusiasts and history buffs alike.
