For many years, railway BOOT (Build-Own-Operate-Transfer) laundries operating with the Indian Railways seemed to provide a solid business model for entrepreneurs. However, at the moment BOOT laundry operators face hard times caused by a variety of challenges.
After the shut-down during the pandemic for almost two years, the main challenge for many operators was not only to revive and service the machinery, but also to get their staff back and provide good working conditions. Additionally, after two years the linen supply was suddenly restarted. Consequently, unused, 2-3 years old linen had to be used which is difficult to handle. It appears that at the moment, linen from 2019-20 is still being used since the tender process to obtain new linen takes time. Another challenge is that sustainability requires wastewater reduction in the laundry process, whereas demands for fresh water increases. In short, the laundry owners are seriously tested!
