Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and the Manipur government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which seeks to provide improved hospitality and tourism services to their customers by making ‘joint use of their capabilities and facilities’. The MoU entails upon both the parties to identify areas of cooperation and draw up detailed plans for development of joint tourism products and opening and managing various catering and hospitality outlets, budget hotels and handicrafts shops at railway as well as non-railway locations.
The areas where the two signatories would leverage their joint strength also include involvement of Self Help Groups (SHGs), setting up of water vending machines, use of Rail Neer (IRCTC’s packaged water) and development of lounges and greeting services for tourists In addition, the signatories would strive to market each other’s products and services through both physical outlets and websites, thus improving the range of services to their own customers.
The MoU, signed late last week, was initialled by IRCTC Chairman and Managing Director Dr. A K Manocha and Secretary, Tourism, Govt. of Manipur, Ms. Nidhi Mani Tripathi.“Both parties are desirous of working together to provide improved hospitality and tourism services to their customers by making joint use of their capabilities and facilities,” according to the MoU, which also envisages “development and promotion of any other products and services.”
IRCTC, a ‘mini Ratna’ PSU of the Ministry of Railways, handles catering and tourism activities over Indian Railway through its network of offices and associates/licensees.