Published On:Tuesday, 1 May 2012
Railways plans to put dhobis on Mumbai suburban local trains platform to press shirts and trousers of commuters for nominal charge
SPECIAL REPORT
PPP kind of model to help commuters to go fresh and clean to their offices
Mumbai local trains which are popular as massage parlour in other sense, as free all body massage is possible due to low density of space occupation by commuters has a good news for its reliable customers/train travellers. The Railway Ministry has proposed to offer press for a nominal charge to all its travellers whenever they get down the train after a sharp, tight and tremendously crowded more than half an hour to almost 2 hours journey.
"Yea that's correct. We shall offer a custom based instant press, dry clean and stain remover with high-tech formula to all our train commuters. They will get press on their shirts and trousers, sidelining few crucial limbs immediately they get down the crowded local trains. All will be done on PPP (public-private partnership) model," Chairman of the Ministry of Railways, Vinay Mittal informed India Satire.
1000 passengers get into each of the compartments local train within 30 seconds, reflecting a need for special privilege service of the cleanliness.
Vinay Mittal said "While there were many online reports and research is available on how to get on and off the local trains, we would like to more value added service."
"No online service has the reach like us to captivate the real sense of passenger," Mittal said proudly in an interview to India Satire. Talks were that already muddling Railways is expected to take huge burden on its budget. However, Mittal denied the allegations and said that PPP model will help reduce any kind of burden and the popularity of Indian Railways will only increase. He also said that Mr. Mukul Roy, Railway Minister took all the required approvals from Higher Authority Ms Mamata Didi Banerjee for implementing the scheme.
According to officials, the model will work like this. A presswala will stand with high-tech steam press (low heat) on the platform waiting for a local. Whenever passenger with wrinkles on his shirts and trousers will come down, the presswala will approach him and will offer the service. If commuter accepts, he will immediately press his shirt and trouser on-the-spot. If there are stains, sweat or anything ridiculous on the shirts, presswala will offer dry clean and stain removing on the spot with a very meager price.
India's sole presswala organisation, Dhobi-ghat Association of Mumbai (DAM) confirmed that it was the one which is chosen to press the clothes of the commuters on the spot.
"Yes," said Ram Kisan Yadav, who stays in Dharavi which has a large space dhobi-ghat in Mumbai. He said "We are happy to serve people press-on-the-spot and would also help them getting more value added services like perfume-on-the-spot, deo-on-the-spot."
Talking to his other initiatives, he said "Passengers who were seating all the time in the train will be offered perfume on the spot service while travelers who were standing for hours in the train will get deodorant treatment to reduce the sweatiness." He confirmed that these services are free and will act as value addition to the PPP model offered by Railway Ministry.
He said "We have already ordered a 3 months quota from nearby 'Saandu Perfumeries and Deodorants Agencies'. The agency gave us one month free deos and perfumes of local 'Axe' and 'Brute' brands, respectively."
However, he didn't disclose the price which the association will charge to commuters.
The association joined hands with undisclosed Japan based press and dry-clean company for technical know-how and other business inputs. This Japan based company already sent a model of 'Press' to the association for approval and the model is approved unanimously. Photo of this sleek and elegant model is given above.
He said "We are working on the formula and the prices will be nominal."
Vinay Mittal said "Right now, we are working out the formula for press on the ladies clothes; we have very limited lady dhobis. We have put tenders open but nobody has really approached us."
He said "I am in talks with Minister Mukul Roy to make it mandatory to wives, mothers, and daughters of all the dhobis to take the education of dry cleaning, press and stain removing system under the Right to Education Law."
The development received mixed response. While few commuters are happy for this service, few said it sounds ridiculous and nasty to experience a dhobi removing wrinkles on the spot from their shirts and trousers.
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