Guwahati, 18 December (HS): In a significant step towards enhancing passenger comfort and station amenities, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has upgraded the Retiring Rooms and Dormitory facilities at Guwahati Railway Station under the Lumding Division. The upgraded facilities were made operational in the presence of NFR General Manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava along with senior railway officials, reaffirming the zone’s commitment to passenger-centric infrastructure development.

Located on the first floor of the station building, the Retiring Room complex has been modernized to offer an improved stay experience for rail users. The facility comprises nine Retiring Rooms, including seven two-bedded rooms and two five-bedded rooms, along with a 12-bedded dormitory. As part of the upgradation, all rooms have been converted into fully air-conditioned units and equipped with improved interiors and comfortable bedding, ensuring a clean, modern and convenient environment for passengers in transit.

The initiative is also expected to substantially boost non-fare revenue for the Railways. Under the new arrangement, NFR is projected to earn around Rs. 1.94 crore over the five-year contract period, while incurring zero expenditure towards maintenance, operation or renovation. This marks a significant improvement over the earlier in-house management system, which involved recurring costs and comparatively lower net revenue.

To ensure efficient execution, the Retiring Rooms and Dormitory services have been outsourced through an open tender process. The selected service provider has been entrusted with renovation, upgradation, management and maintenance responsibilities for a period of five years. All renovation work has been carried out at no cost to the Railways, with complete operational responsibility resting with the service provider, aligning with Indian Railways’ broader objectives of modernization and sustainable revenue growth.---------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash