The pods have been designed in a state-of-the art manner, with a focus on compactness
Need to board a morning train but don't want to risk traffic on the way to the station? Indian Railways has an answer for you.
The Railways has introduced the new pod model to provide comfortable accommodation to travellers at affordable rates.
The first pod waiting room has come up on the first floor of Mumbai Central with 48 rooms in the offing. These include classic pods, private pods and "ladies-only" pods and pods for the differently-abled.
A pod hotel, also called a capsule hotel, has small rooms with a bed each. The model originated in Japan and has gradually gained popularity for providing a compact accommodation solution to travellers who do not want to rent a hotel just to stay the night or to sleep off the exhaustion of a short business trip.
A video clip and photos shared by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Koo as a "sneak peek" shows rows of air-conditioned pods that have a mattress, a pillow and a blanket. The pod is also equipped with a fire extinguisher, headphones, charging points, WiFi connectivity and a reading light -- everything you may need for a short stay.
The pods have been designed in a state-of-the art manner, a far cry from the image of overcrowded, sparsely furnished and ill-equipped railway waiting rooms where one would struggle to find a charging point for a dead cellphone battery.
What is also striking is the stress on compactness, a must to address space challenges while redeveloping stations in major cities. Soothing colours of white and beige have been used to assure tired travellers of a good night's sleep.