Hyderabad - With Indian Railways continuously innovating and re-purposing old train coaches for various purposes, another such establishment has emerged in Telangana.
The South Central Railway's Secunderabad Division has inaugurated a Rail Coach Restaurant within the premises of Necklace Road Railway Station in Hyderabad. This marks the second coach restaurant, providing a unique dining experience, following the one at Kacheguda Station, which commenced operations earlier this year in July. An official from the Secunderabad Division shared details about the restaurant, stating, "The restaurant will offer a diverse range of cuisines, including North Indian, South Indian, Chinese, tandoori, and chaat dishes."
The official also revealed some of the delectable items available at the restaurant, such as soups, vegetarian finger chips, boiled corn, malai kofta, paneer butter masala, butter chicken biryani (both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options), chicken tikka, tandoori chicken, roti, naan, among other dishes.
The contractor for this second rail coach restaurant, operated by the South Central Railway, possesses an FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) license and will undergo regular inspections to ensure the maintenance of hygiene standards.
The Necklace Road Railway Station (NRRS) is a bustling hub in the suburban network of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, with numerous picnic spots nearby, attracting a significant number of tourists daily. To offer them a distinctive dining experience, the station was chosen as the location for this coach restaurant. An unused train coach was completely refurbished with modern and aesthetically pleasing interiors.
This multi-cuisine restaurant is situated in the circulating area of NRRS and is open to both railway passengers and the general public, providing dine-in and take-away options. The restaurant's operating hours are from 12:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. every day, accommodating the needs of the large number of visitors and locals in the area, as shared by the SCR official.
The operation of this establishment has been entrusted to M/s. Boomerang Restaurant, Hyderabad, under a five-year contract. The official emphasized the stringent hygiene standards at the outlet, mentioning that the contractor has obtained a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India license. Regular inspections will be conducted to ensure both hygiene and food quality.
Arun Kumar Jain, General Manager of SCR, commended the Secunderabad Division for this innovative initiative, affirming that "food enthusiasts in the twin cities will have another unique food service option available in the city region."