Railways expands scheme to promote local arts, crafts, new stalls expected to start this month
Dharavi’s leather industry became the first face of the city’s many talents last month, at CSMT
Textiles at Parel, craft jewellery at Byculla, chikki at Lonavala, stone art at Badlapur, bamboo products at Thane, and so on. Fourteen more stations on Central Railway’s Mumbai division have been picked to promote their respective region’s arts and crafts made by artisans and tribals.
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This is a first-of-its-kind initiative on the suburban railways, where artisans get one of the largest open platforms to interact directly
with their customers. Dharavi’s leather industry was picked up as the first face of the city's many talents, under the ‘One Station, One Product’ programme, last month, at CSMT.
“The idea is to provide a platform to the artisans who can sell their products and produce at railway stations,” said a senior railway official. They will be allotted designated places for promotion and sale on a first come, first served basis, which shall be decided by the first week of May.
According to senior officials from Central Railway, the 14 railway stations shortlisted are Sion, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Bhandup, Mulund, Thane, Kalyan, Ambernath, Badlapur, Lonavala, Igatpuri, Byculla, Parel, Dadar and Panvel.
These stations are part of Indian Railways’s ‘One Station, One Product’ concept, where rail premises have been opened up for artisans, people with specialised skills, craftsmen, handloom weavers, potters and tribals who hold valid government issued ID cards, who are registered with self-help groups and micro enterprises.
Among the products that will be on sale are craft jewellery, leather, textile, handloom, bamboo and decorative items, jute bags, stone and paper artworks, chikki, fudge, seasonal fruits and processed food.
Over Western Railway, Rajkot station was the first to implement this initiative in order to promote the sale of local products giving impetus to the ‘vocal for local’ movement.
Things you will find at...
Station Products for sale
CSMT Leather
Parel Textile
Thane Bamboo
Panvel Paper art
Badlapur Stone art