Mumbai: After resuming the bidding process for setting up food courts at suburban stations, railway ministry's catering arm, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), is set to award bids for three more locations on Central Railway and four on Western. WR officials are not in favour of food courts as they want more leg space for their commuters on the over-crowded stations.

After inaugurating the first-of-its-kind cafeteria at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), IRCTC has awarded contracts to Re-fresh Food Plaza for setting up a food court at CST suburban section and to KMA Caterers for a ground plus one storyed air-conditioned cafeteria at Thane.

"We are in the process of identifying a contractor for Kalyan. These food courts will be constructed, operated and maintained by the concerned contractor. The zonal railway or IRCTC does not incur any cost but receives license fees depending on the location," said RD Sharma, group general manager, IRCTC. While talking about the cost-sharing between railways, IRCTC and the contractor, Sharma said, "For the cafeteria at CST, the contractor has been asked to pay Rs 44 lakh per annum, 40% of which will be given to CR as lease amount for the 200 sq mt land allocated for the food court."

Sharma said, "We also plan to install similar food courts on the Western Railway at Dadar, Bandra, Andheri and Borivili, but the WR officials have not given their consent yet."
Source : DNA