Synonymous with books at railway stations, the famed AH Wheeler bookstalls will soon function as multi-purpose outlets at Moradabad railway station (Northern Railways) for products ranging from packaged food to medicines and miscellaneous items.
Preparations are underway in this direction and if things fall in place, it will become a reality in a couple of weeks. The Railways has given its nod and talks are on at headquarters level for a license fees. This new facility has already been started at other book stalls in other zones other than Northern Railway.
The facility has been started at Allahabad, Agra, Jhansi and Mathura railway stations and Moradabad is going to be another additions to this list.
NR Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Rekha Sharma said, “Books, newspapers, magazines from India and abroad were sold at AH Wheeler bookstalls at railway stations. With the digital revolution, mobiles and internet have occupied such a huge space that sale of publications have plummeted gradually, adversely affecting the income of AH Wheeler stall owners.”
The NR officer added that shopkeepers were gradually losing interest in stalls and hence, efforts were being made to make food related items available at such stalls.
Sharma said that the Railways had initiated this changeover in other zones and so initiatives in this direction were being taken at stations of Northern Railway.
“These stalls will sell only packaged food items approved by the Railway Board. Besides, medicines and bandages will also be available there. The licence fees for these multi-purpose stall will be deposited at divisional headquarters,” she said.
Sources in the office of NR Divisional Railway Manager (Lucknow Division) said that Railway officials were also planning to start the facility at different railway stations of the Lucknow division.