Bengaluru railway station installs vending machines for masks, hand sanitisers

The vending machine is available for the public at certain points in the KSR (Majestic) Railway station in the city.
User at the vending machine
User at the vending machine
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In a fresh new initiative, the South Western Railways (SWR) Bengaluru division has started to sell masks, hand sanitisers and personal protective equipment (PPE) kit through vending machines. The vending machines will be available to help passengers ward off coronavirus at Bengaluru’s main city station, an official said on Monday.

"In its continued efforts to ensure COVID-19 free, and safe journeys for the passengers, the Bengaluru Division of SWR on Monday formally inaugurated two vending machines for masks, sanitisers and other PPE kits at the KSR Bengaluru station," a railway zone official told IANS. Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna railway station, or Majestic/City railway station as it is popularly known, is the main railway station in Bengaluru.

One machine has been set up on platform number one and the second one at platform number eight, the second entry point of the station.

In total, the division is setting up five such contactless vending machines in the tech city with two more set to come up at the Yeshwantpur and Bengaluru Cantonment railways stations.

However, the vending machines will not accept cash, but only online payments, officials noted. "Passengers can easily procure masks of different kinds, sanitisers of different quantities, gloves and other products from the machines at reasonable rates through contactless payment modes like Google Pay, Paytm and others," said the official.

The vending machines are part of a pilot project under the New Innovative Non-fare Idea Scheme (NINFRIS) of the Indian Railways.

The Railways has entered into a contract with the TC2 Lab India for setting up the vending machines and for their maintenance.

Similarly, the Bengaluru division has also planned even more COVID-19 combatting initiatives such as baggage sanitisation, take-away bedrolls and spit container vending machines, among others.

Meanwhile, at the Mysuru station, the railway zone has repaired and reinstalled an old vintage clock on platform number one after undertaking great efforts.

"Mysuru station is one of the oldest stations in SWR and all efforts are being taken to maintain the heritage items of the station during redevelopment works," the official said.

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