Question : Modernization of Railway Stations

(a) whether an Empowered Group of Secretaries under the CEO of NITI Aayog will now decide how best to develop the country’s railway stations through Public-Private Participation (PPP) and bring in private players to run more than 150 trains of the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(c) the details of the train operations which will be privatized thereof;

(d) whether a final decision has been taken by the Empowered Group therein; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, by when a final decision would be taken in this regard?

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****




STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 525 BY SHRI DIBYENDU ADHIKARI TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 20.11.2019 REGARDING MODERNIZATION OF RAILWAY STATIONS

(a)&(b): Yes, Sir. Recently, Ministry of Railways have constituted a Group of Secretaries (GoS) for development of Railway Stations to world class standards and permit private passenger train operators to operate trains with world class technology over Indian Railway network.
The Group of Secretaries consists of the following:-
1) Chief Executive Officer, NITI Aayog – Chairman
2) Chairman, Railway Board – Member
3) Secretary, Depart of Economic Affairs - Member
Ministry of Finance
4) Secretary, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs - Member
5) Financial Commissioner (Railways) - Member

Member (Engineering), Railway Board and Member (Traffic), Railway Board are the co-opted Members for their respective projects.
The Terms of Reference of the GoS will be as under:-
i) Approval of the bidding process along with Bid Documents including RFQ/RFP and Concession Agreements.
ii) Monitor the bidding process and to take decisions to ensure the awards of projects in a time bound manner.

(c): The details of privatized trains operations have not been finalized.
(d) & (e): Details not yet finalized.
*****