Indian Railways set to bid out 16 stations for redevelopment

New Delhi: The Indian Railways has decided to bid out 16 nations under the public-private partnership (PPP) model for redevelopment purposes. A tender will be floated over the next two months. The terminals will be bid out in 2022 itself.

The stations being bid out are Anand Vihar Terminal, Tambram, Vijayawada, Dadar, Kalyan, Thane, Andheri, Coimbatore Jn, Pune, Bangalore City, Vadodara, Bhopal, Chennai Central, Delhi Hazrat Nizammuddin and Avadi. Tenders for 47 stations are already out and 31 of them are currently being reformed.

During redevelopment, the railway stations will be upgraded to ensure they have basic facilities and accessibility. The private sector will be encouraged via monetisation models. In the first phase, around 199 stations with a footfall of 50 lakh per day are being considered. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said earlier this month that redeveloped stations will have a spacious roof plaza with amenities like retail, cafeterias, and recreational facilities.

The redevelopment may also raise the prices of platform tickets and conveniences provided by railways.