Eastern Railway has opened a sleeping pod facility at Malda Town station in West Bengal, giving passengers waiting for connecting trains access to short-stay accommodation within the station premises. The facility has been operational since October 14 and is expected to be particularly useful during periods of high passenger demand.
The facility was introduced through an initiative of the commercial department of Eastern Railway’s Malda railway division under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Malda Town is the second station in the railway network to offer the service after Bhagalpur, according to the railway authorities.
The sleeping pods are located on the first floor of the station, directly above the ticket counters on the ground floor. The facility includes 15 double-level sleeping pod units with a combined capacity of 30 people at a time. Three separate rooms have also been provided for passengers seeking greater privacy and personal space.
Manish Kumar Gupta, divisional railway manager of the Malda railway division, said the service would be especially useful for transit passengers and people waiting for connecting trains. The facility is intended for passengers with long gaps between train journeys as well as people travelling to Malda for official or personal work.
According to Kartik Singh, senior divisional commercial manager of the Malda railway division, the pods are fully air-conditioned and fitted with bedding, curtains for privacy, individual LED reading lights and mobile charging ports. The facility also provides high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity and secure luggage lockers.
Railway authorities said the facility includes safety and sanitation provisions, including CCTV surveillance, fire extinguishers and other fire-safety measures. The pods are also described as being located in a clean and hygienic environment within the station building.
The launch comes ahead of a period when passenger numbers are expected to rise during the festive season. Railway officials said passengers travelling during the Durga Puja holidays, particularly those facing extended waiting periods between connecting trains, are expected to benefit from the short-stay accommodation.
The service adds an overnight and short-rest option within a major station where passengers can remain inside the railway premises rather than seek accommodation elsewhere while waiting for onward journeys. Its capacity, however, is limited to 30 people in the sleeping pods at any one time, apart from the three separate rooms.
Eastern Railway has not provided details in the supplied information about pricing, booking procedures or the operating hours of the facility. The authorities’ stated next step is to make the service available to passengers using Malda Town station, with particular attention to demand during the festive travel period.
