Railways installs model track to set up restaurant on wheels
Neeraj Bagga
Amritsar, September 25
Months after allotment of a five-year contract for setting up a restaurant on wheels at the city railway station, the authorities have installed a model (showpiece) track for the same in the railway station complex. The contract for setting up a restaurant on wheels was awarded in April.
Shubham Kumar, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, said a Railway Coach Factory made coach would be stationed on the track before the first week of October. He said kitchen would not be set up in the coach as it would have only seating arrangements.
He said the company having contract would spruce up the wagon as per its business plan and be responsible for its operation and maintenance.
Tourists would enjoy delectable Punjabi cuisine in the proposed restaurant. It was to commence operation from May 5, but due to delays for myriad technical reasons it would see the light of day soon.
Offering a unique experience to visitors, the contract for the restaurant on wheels has been awarded to a New Delhi-based company for five years at annual licence fee of Rs 28.30 lakh. Besides, coach No. 01056 has been earmarked for setting up the restaurant-cum-kitchen.
Similar restaurants on wheels are operational at the Jammu Tawi, Katra and Pathankot railway stations. Each restaurant has been allotted to a different contractor.
Scrapped and discarded coaches are used for setting up restaurants. At the Amritsar railway station, the model railway track was set up outside the general waiting hall. It is likely to give sleepless nights to dhabas and other eateries functional on the railway link road. Amidst the ambience of a train, the restaurant would offer tandoori food like kulchas, naan and other eatables. The city is famous for several delicacies, but the most sought after breakfast is kulchas with a crisp exterior and soft and flaky interiors wrapped around fillings of potato, onion, cauliflower, green chillies, smoky spices and more. It’s complete with a dollop of butter. The restaurant would also serve non-vegetarian keema naan with butter and gravy in the aesthetically decked up coach in the time to come.
