In the midst of Chennai’s bustling train stations, where the rhythm of daily life often drowns out small pleasures, a new initiative is offering commuters a chance to pause and indulge in the simple joy of reading.
Two newly-installed vending machines — one on platform 6 of MGR Chennai Central Railway Station and the other at the west entrance of Tambaram Railway Station — are not dispensing coffee, chips, or cold drinks, but something far more enriching for your train journey, books.
The brainchild of Mayawathi, a 26-year-old literature graduate who left banking to follow her passion for books, these machines are part of her venture, Sunset Hues. They offer a curated selection of over 50 titles, ranging from children’s colouring and activity books to storybooks and non-fiction, all priced under Rs 300.
Within just four days of the Central Station machine’s launch, more than 50 books had already found their way into eager hands.
Designed to be intuitive, the machines guide users through each step, and sensors make sure that any issue, such as a book failing to dispense, is immediately resolved with a refund or replacement.
Encouraged by the positive reception, plans are already underway to install similar machines at the Airport Metro Station, further expanding access to spontaneous reading across the city.
Metro tales and literary havens
Not far from the railway stations, Chennai Central Metro Station has its own literary oasis. In June 2025, Chief Minister M K Stalin inaugurated a 5,000-square-foot book park, established by the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation (TNTB&ESC) for Rs 1.85 crore. The park houses over 15,000 books across 5,000 titles in Tamil, English, and other languages.
Beyond shelves of books, the facility features stalls by publishers, a reading area, a cafeteria, and a mini hall for book release events. To encourage early footfall and purchases, books, other than school textbooks, are sold at a 10% discount.
Operating daily from 9 am to 9 pm, with amenities like free Wi-Fi, the park invites commuters and casual visitors alike to pause, browse, and enjoy literature at leisure.
Together, the vending machines and the Metro Book Park are weaving literature into the fabric of Chennai’s daily life. These initiatives remind commuters that a moment on a platform can be turned into an opportunity for discovery, imagination, and escape.
Next time you find yourself at MGR Central, Tambaram, or Chennai Central Metro Station, take a moment to open a cover and let a story begin.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thebetterindia.com
