Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked why can’t Indian Railway stations be like airports. PM Modi has pitched for a larger role for the private sector in the the railways, including upgrading stations through a sustainable Public Private Partnership model (PPP). The idea is to create commercial complexes at the stations that would ensure revenue streams robust enough to attract private operators.
Modi said, “We want railway stations to have better facilities than airports. Stations need to be modernised and this can be done through the PPP model because it is economically viable. I have discussed it with railway officials and you will see a change in future. We will work it out soon.”
“In (the PPP model), private parties would also be ready to invest because this is a good project economically and will benefit everyone. This would be a win-win situation,” Modi added.
Modi said the stations in metros and important cities such as Jammu would be among the first to be developed using private funds.
The UPA government, it may be recalled, planned to renovate 100 major railway stations with around Rs 10,000 crore of private funds. However, private players have stayed away, unconvinced of its commercial viability. The railways later scaled down the plan. The newly-formed Railway Station Development Corporation is currently looking at only five stations to be redeveloped with private investments: New Delhi, Anand Vihar (Delhi), Chandigarh, Bhopal and Pune.
One advantage of the PPP model is that it could be cost-neutral for the railways. The railways, which had reported an unhealthy operating ratio of 90.4% last year, is struggling to find funds for replenishment of old rolling stock, leave alone expansion. Its recent tariff hikes — 14.2% across classes in the case of passenger fares and 6.5% for freight charges — had to be partially withdrawn in the case of short-distance suburban travel due to the political backlash.
In the 2013-14 budget too, there was an announcement that the railways would raise Rs 2,000 crore through PPP for its station development plan, but the railways couldn’t raise a single rupee.
The railways eyed investments of Rs 83,000 crore through PPPs during the 12th Five-Year Plan, but the programme is languishing as barring a couple of locomotive factories in Bihar, there was barely any investor interest.
Estimated to cost Rs 1,132.75 crore, the 25-km Udhampur-Katra line that was made operational on Friday in fact missed several deadlines. Katra station is environment-friendly as it will be run by solar power.
Bureau Report
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