New Delhi:Railways is set to hand over the management and operation of its retiring rooms and dormitories to the IRCTC with a view to making better use of the existing infrastructure to improve amenities and services for passengers.

IRCTC, a PSU of Railways, will take charge of the retiring rooms and dormitories at the stations in a phased manner, renovate and refurbish them as necessary and make them available to passengers.

We are ready to take all major 408 stations’ retiring rooms subject to handover by the Railways, said a senior IRCTC official adding “It will be responsible for the operation, maintenance and marketing of these facilities.”

Railways has issued policy guidelines to all its zonal divisions to put the process into action and the IRCTC will prepare a phase-wise road map for the takeover, following which draft agreements will be signed and the tendering process initiated.

The retiring rooms at Habibganj, Anand Vihar Terminal, Bijwasan, Gandhinagar and Surat will be excluded since they are already being redeveloped by the India Railway Station Development Corporation (IRSDC).

IRCTC intends to upgrade the retiring rooms to top-class hospitality offerings with well-furnished air conditioned rooms, quality fittings, communication systems, other amenities and professional services. The upgraded services will also be integrated with local sightseeing and tours and travel services that the IRCTC has been successfully managing.

The IRCTC plans to do the upgrades on a PPP basis such as Renovate-Operate-Transfer model, without affecting the basic structure or heritage facades of the existing retiring rooms and dorms.

Revenues from the operation of these facilities will be shared between IRCTC and the Railways.

PTI