Now, IRCTC to manage retiring rooms and dormitories at railway stations

NEW DELHI: IRCTC is going to manage retiring rooms and dormitories at stations with an aim to improve amenities and services for rail passengers by making better use of the existing infrastructure.
The PSU of the railways has plans to upgrade the retiring rooms to top-class hospitality offerings with well-furnished air conditioned rooms, quality fittings, communication systems, other amenities and professional services.
The upgraded services will also be integrated with local sightseeing and tours and travel services.
"Railways is set to hand over the management and operation of the retiring rooms and dormitories in a phased manner," said an official.
He added the IRCTC will be responsible for the operation, maintenance and marketing of these facilities.
The railways PSU will be mandated to renovate and refurbish these assets to make them available to passengers.
As per plan, IRCTC will do the upgrades on a PPP basis such as renovate-operate-transfer model, without affecting the basic structure or heritage facades of the existing retiring rooms and dorms.
An official said, "Revenues from the operation of these facilities will be shared between the IRCTC and the Railways."
In a statement, IRCTC said that it is ready to take all 408 A1 & A category station's retiring rooms if they are handed over by the Railway.
Railways has issued policy guidelines to all its zonal divisions to put the process into action and the IRCTC will prepare a phase-wise road map for the takeover, following which draft agreements will be signed and the tendering process initiated.
The retiring rooms at Habibganj, Anand Vihar Terminal, Bijwasan, Gandhinagar and Surat will be excluded since they are already being redeveloped by the India Railway Station Development Corporation.