From the first week of January, one can shop while travelling on long-distance trains. The Western Railway has finalised a plan under which passengers, especially those travelling in air-conditioned coaches, can shop while comfortably sitting on their seats, quite like in-flight shopping.

The sale will include handbags, purses, necklaces, watches, gift items, cosmetics, gadgets, earphones and several other consumer goods. The items may be available at discounted prices to incentivise purchase.

"Passengers can avail this from first week of January. In the first phase, three trains will be selected for on-board shopping," said Ravinder Bhakar, chief public relations officer (PRO), Western Railway.

Food items will not be part of this sale as they are already available through catering. Sources said that a contractor will be appointed for the enterprise and his personnel who would cart a trolley of the items on sale through the aisles.

The passengers will be able to pay in cash as well as online. "It will be the contractor's responsibility to ensure the quality of the products sold," said a WR official.

In the first phase, passengers travelling in Mumbai-Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express and two other trains (to be decided by the contractor) will have this facility.

Three trains will be added to the list every three months, till as many as 16 trains have this facility.

Plans are also afoot to have robotic massage chairs at railway stations, though there is no clarity about its implementation.

The Central Railway also has plans for similar onboard shopping inside Konark Express, Chennai Express, and Ernakulam-Hazrat Nizamuddin Duronto.

But there is no clairty on when the project would be implemented.

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