Modern sleeping pods launched at SMVT in Baiyappanahalli

BENGALURU: After a three-month delay, the first batch of Sleeping Pods — air-conditioned, compact beds — was launched at Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal at Baiyappanahalli on Wednesday. KSR Bengaluru railway station is in line next.

This state-of-the-art facility, operational at New Delhi and Mumbai airports,has made its debut in Bengaluru, courtesy the Brandmidas Hospital and Aviation Services, which bagged the e-auction contract. Billed `Sleepzzzo’, four such pods have been opened in the first floor of SMVT adjacent to the Food Court. A top railway official said these pods would offer a new hospitality experience to reserved ticket passengers apart from fetching considerable non-fare revenue for the Railways.

Preetham Chengappa, Director of the agency, said, “Our contract here is for three years. We launched it on Wednesday with four pods.”

As part of the inaugural offer in Bengaluru, it is providing the pod at Rs 300 for 2 hours, he said. “Every additional hour will be charged Rs 125. We are in the process of developing other packages too,” he said.

The website is static as of now and a booking engine will be launched shortly. Bookings are being taken over the phone at present. Contact number is 93806-98793. Work has begun to install them at KSR too. A railway source said the division stands to earn an annual revenue of Rs 9.8 lakh from SMVT. “If successful, it will be replicated at other major stations of the division,” he said.