In an exciting development, the Indian Railways is currently in the process of repurposing two abandoned railway coaches into theme-based restaurants at the Katra and Jammu railway stations. This unique endeavor has been named “Beautiful Restaurants on Wheels,” aimed at refurbishing and transforming old train coaches into charming rail coach restaurants.
According to the officials, the combined annual revenue from these two air-conditioned restaurants is expected to reach Rs 50 lakh. Divisional Transportation Manager, Jammu, Prateek Srivastava, informed that, “Two rail-coach restaurants are currently in development in Jammu and Katra as part of this Indian Railways initiative. Tenders have been awarded to two separate parties.”
State-of-the-art restaurants
Srivastava elaborated, “Under this plan, we are offering these coaches to private parties, allowing them to create state-of-the-art restaurants according to their own unique designs.”
The first coach restaurant is anticipated to open its doors by December, with both coaches already in place. These restaurants have been christened ‘Annapurna’ and ‘Maa Durga.’
Pradeep Gupta, the owner of Annapurna Restaurant, shared, “It will take 90 days to fully transform a coach into a functional restaurant, complete with all necessary facilities.”
Similar restaurants have already found success at nine to ten major railway stations across India. The initiative is being implemented nationwide, with operations already underway at railway stations in Jabalpur, Bhopal, Lucknow, and Varanasi, according to the Divisional Transportation Manager.
Key highlights of Indian Railways’ Food-on-Wheels restaurants
The restaurants at Jammu and Katra railway stations will offer a variety of non-vegetarian dishes and will be fully air-conditioned. Passengers and tourists alike are excited about the introduction of rail-coach restaurants in Jammu.
Surjeet Singh, a passenger from Delhi, expressed, “It will be a great addition to the beauty of the place, offering a different and unique dining experience at the railway station.” Rajiv Dwivedi, who was visiting the Mata Vaishnodevi cave shrine, commended the initiative, saying, “It is a commendable step. Thanks to the government for taking this initiative. I believe the food will be excellent.”
The Railways’ Food-on-Wheels restaurants will feature stylish interiors and exteriors, along with display panels offering virtual tours of various destinations in Jammu and Kashmir, showcasing the cultural essence of Dograland.