Bandra terminus, Andheri and Borivili stations will in six months
boast of state-of-the-art facilities that can easily replace a hotel
for the long-distance day traveller. These stations will have one-
storey structures which will have deluxe toilets, plush bathroom, a
lounge, and locker facility to keep your overnighter while you go
about the city.

The plan will be followed by at least 16 other suburban stations
going in for renovation to provide clean ambience. "Apart from the
deluxe ones, all toilets will be renovated and beautified," Shyam
Gupta, chief spokesperson of WR, said.

Sulabh International has bagged the contract for building the deluxe
toilets at Bandra and Andheri. The one at Borivili will be built by
Jan Kalyan Trust. And the entire work will have to be completed
within six months. But renovation of toilets in 16 stations will
have to be completed within four months.

At a fixed licence fee of Rs5 lakh per annum per station, the
contractors will be able to operate the toilets for 15 years on
build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis. In this period, the private
partner can utilise space for advertisements. After 15 years, either
the lease will be extended or assets created by the private partner
transferred to the railways, which might lease it out to other
organisations. "The stations have been identified depending on the
circulating traffic and availability of land and type of amenities
provided," said an official." Also, this will help long-distance
travellers as several mail and express trains stop at these
stations. A passenger need not worry about his/her luggage as well. It
will be safe inside lockers," he said.

But all good things come at a price and here too the passenger will
have to shell out something. The official said it would be cheaper
than star hotels but the rates are still undecided.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1182572

Monday, August 11, 2008 03:58 IST