Odisha’s first Rail Coach Restaurant inaugurated at Rayagada railway station [See Pics]

Rayagada: In a first in Odisha, a Rail Coach Restaurant (RCR) was opened for the public at Rayagada railway station under Waltair division, yesterday. The eatery was set up to provide customers with an entirely new experience and to generate non-fare revenue as well, a railway spokesperson said today.

According to railway sources, the ambitious project has been awarded to Keerthi Motors for a period of five years through open tender and for a license fee of around Rs 75 lakh. Interior modifications were carried out to an unusable air-conditioned coach to meet the requirements of both train passengers and the general public. The novel eatery has been built in an area of about 110 square metres.

The new restaurant is capable of accommodating up to 42 persons at a time. It possesses an excellent interior ambiance and also has provision for both dine-in and takeaway facilities for the customers.

“This initiative by the Waltair Division of East Coast Railway aims at enhancing the passenger experience and generating additional revenue by creatively utilising railway infrastructure. It will not only provide a memorable experience to rail users but will also improve the ambiance of the railway station in a self-sustaining and revenue-generating model,” Divisional Railway Manager Saurabh Prasad said.