India now has two railway stations that offer pod retiring room facilities for passengers after a unit was inaugurated at Bhopal on Saturday.
The facility on platform no. 6 of the Bhopal railway station has 78 pods, for which passengers will have to pay Rs 200 for a small cabin for three hours and Rs 400 for a family pod for three hours, the official said.
This is the second pod facility in India after the one introduced at Mumbai Central Railway Station in 2021.
BJP MP Alok Sharma inaugurated the modern, safe, and affordable accommodation facilities, and Bhopal divisional railway manager Devashish Tripathi was present at the function.
Talking to PTI, Bhopal railway division’s public relations officer Naval Agrawal said, “This is the first pod facility in the West Central Railway (with three railway divisions- Bhopal, Jabalpur and Kota).
The pod-style facility is a modern concept in which passengers are provided a private space, said Saurabh Kataria, Bhopal division senior divisional commercial manager (SDCM).
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“Each pod has a sleeping space, luggage storage, charging points, entertainment (TV), Wi-Fi, mirror, and air-conditioning. It will be useful for passengers who wish to rest for a few hours or are waiting for a connecting train,” he said.
He said the facility has 20 pods for families, 40 multi-beds for men and 18 for women.
The official said the starting rate for multi-bed pods is Rs 200, while family pods cost Rs 400, and the rates increase with time, allowing passengers to choose the duration and pod based on their needs.
He said the pods will have separate toilets for men and women, CCTV surveillance, locker and luggage room and fire safety arrangements.
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As per a release issued by the Railways, passengers can book their pods online (via the IRCTC website) and offline. A PNR number is mandatory for booking.
Kataria said the facility was introduced keeping in mind the resting needs of the approximately 70,000 passengers who pass through Bhopal railway station daily.
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) will operate the facility, he added.