Rail Restaurant! Indian Railways Recycles Old Coach In Jalpaiguri Station To Create Unique Dining Experience

In yet another sustainable and interesting decision, an old train coach at West Bengal's New Jalpaiguri Railway Station has been recycled and converted into a restaurant. The restaurant, designed with similar aesthetics as that of the railways, would give the customers the ambience of a passenger at a railway station.

The Indian Railways is known to have been converting their old coaches into innovative concepts, and it adds to the department's revenue as well as employment scope. With the newest addition, more people would get to experience the exclusive cuisine with the railway's backdrop.

'Coach To Restaurant!'

The Indian railways are known for dishing out creative culinary experiences for their visitors, and one such experience is now facilitated at the New Jalpaiguri Junction railway station in West Bengal's Siliguri.

Sharing photos of the railway restaurant, the Ministry of Railways took on to Twitter and said, "Coach to Restaurant! With an aim to provide a unique experience to the visitors, an aesthetically designed Rail Coach Restaurant has been opened at New Jalpaiguri Railway Station, West Bengal." Added along with these were photos of the restaurant decked up with paintings, lighting, yellow seats, and the structure that emphasises that the restaurant was built by recycling an old passenger coach.

Coach to Restaurant!

With an aim to provide a unique experience to the visitors, an aesthetically designed Rail Coach Restaurant has been opened at New Jalpaiguri Railway Station, West Bengal. The restaurant has been set up by recycling an old passenger coach. pic.twitter.com/2rKV8SPYrU

— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) October 28, 2022

They have been able to significantly reduce the amount of wastage that would go into the disposal of old coaches. The department has been setting an example in recycling through initiatives such as these, and it also reflects upon the country's long history of artistic and engineering prowess.

An article by the Indian Express quoted Additional divisional railway manager of New Jalpaiguri Junction, Sanjay Chilwarwar, saying that the restaurant has a seating capacity of 32 and serves different cuisines from North Indian to Chinese.

The restaurant is expected to contribute to the revenue of the Indian Railways while providing passengers with a unique experience of dining in a railway coach. Furthermore, they have ensured that the service remains to the point with the appointment of 40 staff members working around 6 AM to 10 PM.

Recycling To Create Unforgettable Experiences

The tweet garnered hugely positive responses from netizens who were excited to try out the rail-restaurant idea.

Very nice..wonderful effort.. many more such needed at major railway stations in India where lovers and aficionados of Indian Railway may frequently visit, and/or maybe even in the lively Indian cities ..which will be a novelty attraction and also livelihood generator

— Harish Katoch (@HarishKatoch18) October 29, 2022

Meanwhile, this happens to be one among many such initiatives undertaken by the Indian Railways. The first ever such Rail-restaurant was set up in 2020 by the Eastern Railways at the Asansol station in West Bengal.

This concept then found its way across to platform number 6 of Jabalpur railway station, platform number 18 of the Mumbai Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), and so on. Most of these restaurants have been faring well with the multi-cuisine offerings, as well as the decorations, which include artefacts and paintings related to Indian History.

According to a report by the FirstPost there was also yet another instance of an Airbus 320 from Air India that was turned into a restaurant in Ludhiana, Punjab. The retired airbus was brought in parts and redesigned by engineers to welcome customers for a distinctive dining experience.

Also Read: Old Railway Coaches To Get Restaurant Makeover