The Indian Railways has announced that Mumbai’s second pod-hotel is likely to come up at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. Second, only to the capsule hotel at Mumbai Central, the upcoming Japanese-style accommodation will be able to accommodate about 50 persons at one time. As per reports,the structure is presently under construction near the waiting room on the main line for outstation services and is likely to open for public use later this month.
To meet the international standards of travel facilties
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus is one of the biggest and busiest junctions in Mumbai, witnessing massive traveller footfalls across outstation and suburban trains. As such, the CSMT pods are being developed to meet the international standards of travel and on-terminus accommodation facilities. The pod hotel design, amenities and charges are in synergy with this idea. As per officials,the CSMT capsule rooms are going to have four 2 pax family pods and 30 single pods. In addition to this, separate washrooms, shower rooms for women and men as well as a luggage room.
With this, the new CSMT pod-hotel is more advanced than the already existing MCT unit. Notably, the Mumbai Central capsule-hotel has about 48 pods. This features private pods, classic pods, and separate pods for women as well as for the differently-abled commuters.
A lucrative model for the Indian Railways
Shivaji Sutar, CPRO of the Central Railway zone reportedly said that the development and operation of the pod-hotel at CSMT will be under Namah Enterprises at a licence fee of ₹10, 07,786 per annum. A contract has been also signed to develop more modern pods along 131.61 square metres at the CSMT, for incoming and outgoing railway passengers with all modern facilities, he added. The project, in all, is expected to generate a revenue of ₹55.68 lakh for the Indian Railway in a year.
