Track: Service Systems and Management
Abstract
The talk is on installation and operationalizing automatic water vending machines (AWVMs or Water ATMs) in the railway stations on behalf of the Indian Railways (IR). Sensing the need for drinking water for railway commuters and encouraged by evolving technologies, IRCTC conceptualized water ATMs in 2007. Water ATMs are automatic water dispensing units that can provide cold and normal mineral water in different quantities and packaging on a pay per usage basis. The project was planned as a public-private partnership. We analyse the challenges and recommend few policy directions to overcome the same.