Indore: The state tourism department’s ambitious plan to start a rail-coach themed restaurant in Indore appears derailed as there are no takers to run the restaurant, whose construction was completed in 2107 at a cost of Rs 1.64 cr.
The restaurant situated in front of Urban Haat Bazaar on the Lalbagh premises wears a desultory look; run over by tall grass and weeds and the expensive décor of the restaurant running to seed. The restaurant was inspired from the success of a similarly themed restaurant that started operating at Hotel Ashoka Lake View in Bhopal in the year 2007.
A real railway coach was brought from Gujarat with great difficulty and place there at Lalbagh premises. It was planned that the restaurant would have LCD screens in the windows to recreate the view of a moving train window, so that the customers have a different experience while they enjoy food. The customers could either sit inside the railway coach or sit in the open air.
Digvijay Singh Yadav who was the project engineer and the construction of the restaurant started in 2016 and it was completed within year. “We succeeded in giving the restaurant a genuine look with excellent seating arrangements where people could enjoy the ambience and also the food,” he said.
Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department regional manager R S Gupta said they had plans to give the restaurant out on lease, but unfortunately there have been no takers. Asked why there were no takers for such a unique concept, Gupta did not have a ready answer. “We have tried leasing out the restaurant for the past two years, but without success. We are going to float fresh tenders, and hopefully someone will come forward,” Gupta said.
