Western Railway (WR) is planning to create co-working spaces for office-goers on the elevated decks of its stations and terminuses. The goal is to improve passenger convenience by using the elevated decks for this.
These spaces, called Digital Lounges, will have the following features:
1. The digital lounges will be air-conditioned and equipped with features to help passengers work while waiting for their trains.
2. The lounges will be set up inside large quadrilateral areas.
3. They will have long tables, chairs, and small cubicles.
4. The lounges will include Wi-Fi-enabled tables and charging points for laptops and phones.
5. Tea, coffee, and snacks will also be available.
6. Private operators will be invited to manage these spaces.
7. The co-working areas will be rented on an hourly basis as part of Western Railway’s non-fare income initiative.
8. The spaces will accommodate 20 to 50 people at a time.
The elevated decks are being constructed under the Station Improvement Project. The Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation is spending INR 947 crore on building these decks at 17 stations. These elevated decks will also help decongest the platforms below by relocating food vendors, restrooms, and other facilities to the raised area.
Officials have already started identifying stations that can host these lounges. Priority will be given to stations like Andheri, Goregaon, Borivali, Bandra Terminus, and Mumbai Central. These locations are close to commercial and office hubs and cater to a large number of office-goers.
As per a report by HT, WR is inspired by European train stations where designated workspaces are available for travelers. The Digital Lounges would complement the existing Executive Lounges.
As per reports, the demand for flexible office spaces has grown significantly. According to Colliers India, 4.7 million square feet of flexible space were leased in 2024. In the last quarter of the year, flexible spaces accounted for 24% of Grade A space demand.
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