An old train coach has been upcycled into a restaurant at West Bengal's New Jalpaiguri Railway Station. The goal is to provide the same railway station ambiance to the eatery. It comes with both inside and outside seating options. The seats are painted in vibrant yellow colour.
General visitors are also welcome to dine at the restaurant. It can accommodate up to 32 guests at once. The interior is filled with photos of Bengal's architecture including the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Toy Train, Coronation Bridge, Howrah Bridge, and Victoria Memorial.
The Ministry of Railways shared the news on Twitter and wrote: "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."
The 'Rail Coach Restaurant' serves north Indian food, south Indian cuisine, and Chinese food. The menu includes tea, biryani, fried rice, chilli chicken, momos, and dosa among other items, said Sanjay Chilwarwar, the additional divisional railway manager of New Jalpaiguri Junction.
"The restaurant will not only help in increasing the revenue of the railways but also passengers will be able to have a unique experience of dining on a train coach. There will be 40 staff members and the restaurant will function from 6 am to 10 pm," he added.
The North East Frontier Railway has plans to set up more such restaurants in Sukna, Tindhara, Kurseong, and Darjeeling stations.