RailEnquiry

Amritsar:
The local railway authorities set the ball rolling for a Food Plaza at the railway station and the tender process is about to start for the same. Passengers felt its need acutely as the only refreshment room at the railway station remained closed during the past couple of days. Amritsar railway station witnesses the arrival and departure of as many as 128 trains (64 arrive and a similar number of them depart) daily and records a daily footfall of about 30,000 passengers.Railway officials today re-opened the refreshment room, which was closed two days back, after its operator, a private concern, paid over Rs 3 lakh as accumulated rent. However, the closure of the only canteen at the railway station posed great inconvenience to the passengers. A railway official, wishing anonymity, shared that the private concern had failed to pay the pending rent and had jumped the deadline.However, after orders from senior railway authorities, the local railway administration took the step.Surjit Sigh, a passenger, said undoubtedly, there were plenty of shops and stalls serving various snacks, but the only shop serving meals was closed which denied the waiting passengers an opportunity to have sumptuous breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The Amritsar railway station was proposed to be developed into a ‘world-class’ station way back in the 2009 railway budget, but the passengers and tourists visiting the holy city from around the world were still awaiting these amenities.

Ram Prasad, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Northern Railway, Ferozepur Division, said the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) Limited was in the process of calling tenders to set up a food plaza. It will benefit thousands of passengers alighting and boarding trains at the Amritsar railway station on a daily basis.

He informed that the site plan had been approved. He assured that it would serve the choicest food to the passengers and pilgrims visiting the holy city.