The Indian Railways has chosen to rehabilitate 200 stations around the country using engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) and PPP models as part of its efforts to modernise railway facilities.
Statesman News Service | New Delhi | October 6, 2022 9:56 pm
Among the 16 stations planned for renovation under the public-private partnership (PPP) model are the railway stations of Old Delhi, Nizamuddin, and Anand Vihar in the National Capital.
The Indian Railways has chosen to rehabilitate 200 stations around the country using engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) and PPP models as part of its efforts to modernise railway facilities with greater amenities.
Recently, the government has approved the redevelopment of New Delhi, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus at Mumbai and Ahmedabad stations using money from its own coffers under the EPC model instead of going for PPP.
However, while a majority of stations are being developed in the EPC model, there are also a few selected to be redeveloped in the PPP model, said a senior Railway Ministry official.
The other stations selected to be offered to private players for redevelopment are Bangalore City, Vijayawada, Dadar, Kalyan, Thane, Andheri, Tambaram, Coimbatore, Pune, Baroda, Bhopal, Chennai Central and Avadi
All these stations are to be redeveloped in PPP mode and for which the tenders worth Rs 12,000 crore would be floated inviting real estate players, said the official.
Out of the 16, the bidding process for Anand Vihar Station is in the advanced stage and tenders would be floated shortly.
Preparations are also in the final stage for inviting real estate players for Old Delhi, Nizamuddin, Pune and Bangalore City stations while detailed reports are nearing completion for the remaining stations.
As far as EPC mode is concerned, the tendering process for 47 railway stations is completed with physical work that has started at 32 stations.
The railways claim that a master plan for renovating 200 stations is complete and that work would start as soon as that happens.
With the construction of overhead spaces on the stations, which will offer top-notch amenities like waiting lounges and food courts in addition to kid-friendly recreational areas, the rebuilt stations will see vertical expansion.
A platform for the selling of local goods will be offered by all stations.
The volume of goods movement on the new dedicated freight corridors (DFCs) of Indian Railways has doubled in the current financial year compared to 2023-24 marking a quantum leap in the country’s logistics landscape.
At least 10 New Delhi bound flights from different cities were diverted to the Sanganer International airport here following poor visibility at IG international airport on Monday.