The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is planning to establish pod hotel near the Mumbai Central railway station, the Financial Times reports. The pods will provide passengers next-generation affordable air-conditioned lodging comfort.

IRCTC spokesperson, Pinakin Morawala said, “We are planning a 30-pod capsule hotel. The proposal is in nascent stages, and the land has been identified. We are now awaiting approval from Western Railway before sanctioning a feasibility study.”

Passengers will be able to experience features like light and temperature control, WiFi, intercom service, small entertainment screens, personal lockers, USB and power sockets and most importantly a comfortable place to rest in the pods, Morawala adds.

“Each pod will be 5 feet by 7 feet. This is the way forward world-over to provide affordable stopover options to passengers. A hotel room costs much more, whereas a pod will have all essential comforts for a 7-8 hour stay time,” Morawala said.

The pod will also have dining facilities, lounge areas, changing rooms and washrooms. Mumbai already features a pod hotel, Urbanpod, which opened in Andheri in 2017. He adds that it is very early to estimate the project cost.

The IRCTC, depending on the success of the pods, will plan to open more lodging spaces near various significant stations. Speaking about the proposed rates of the projects, Morwala said the rates will vary on factors like hours the pod is occupied. "Usually, the rate for a pod is around Rs 2,500", he said while adding it is very early to make a decision.