Question : Public Private Partnership in Railways

(a) whether the Railways have identified projects to be executed through Public-Private Partnership (PPP);

(b) if so, the details thereof and the names of the stations identified in various States including Odisha;

(c) the details of funds allocated, released and utilised for this purpose during the last three years and the current year;

(d) whether the Railways have any proposal to launch a scheme for revamping and transforming the railway stations especially by private developers in the country;

(e) if so, the details thereof and the salient features of the scheme; and

(f) the time by which the scheme is likely to be implemented?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a)&(b): Yes, Madam. Railways has identified the following areas/projects under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) :-
(i) Building/strengthening of rail Connectivities;
(ii) Private Container Train Operations;
(iii) Building private freight terminals;
(iv) wagon investment/leasing schemes; and
(v) Redevelopment of stations.

At present, the following stations have been identified for redevelopment through PPP mode : Charbagh (Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh), Ernakulam Junction (Kerala), Gomtinagar (Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh), Habibganj (Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh), Delhi Sarai Rohilla (Delhi), Jammu Tawi (Jammu & Kashmir), Kota (Rajasthan), Kozhikode (Kerala), Madgaon (Goa), Nellore (Andhra Pradesh), Puducherry (U.T. of Puducherry), Surat (Gujarat) and Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) railway stations.
Bhubaneshwar station in Odisha has been taken up for redevelopment through Partnership with the State Government.

(c): No funds have been allocated as these schemes are generally conceived in cost-neutral manner. For the purpose of strategy development for the program funds to the tune of ?10 crore have been allotted and spent on consultancy in the last three years.

(d)&(e): Yes, Madam. Re-development is an ongoing programme for which private developers are invited through open bidding process. Re-development of stations is planned through leveraging of commercial development of vacant land/air space in and around stations. A redeveloped station generally envisages provision of following ameneties:
• Segregation of arrival/departure of passengers.
• Essential facilities at concourse.
• Integration of both sides of city.
• Integration with other modes of transport.
• No parcel movement across the length of platform.
• User friendly international signages etc.

(f): Stations redevelopment projects are complex in nature and require detailed techno-economic feasibility studies and statutory clearances from local bodies. Therefore, no time-frame can be indicated at this stage.
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