What is Station Redevelopment Programme?
- It is the world’s largest transit-oriented development programme.
- As part this programme, tenders are being floated for 23 of a total of 400 A1 and A category stations selected for re-developing in the first phase.
- Station Redevelopment Programme is the biggest non-fare revenue generating programme being undertaken by Indian Railways.
- Financial Model of the programme:
- It will be executed in a public-private-partnership (PPP) model through a fair bidding system.
- Government will not incur any expenditure as the developer will be rebuilding the railway stations and maintaining it for 15 years.
- In return, the developer would be granted 45 years’ leasing rights for the commercial properties developed at these stations.
- These properties could be hotels, malls, hospitals, among others.
- Selection Process:
- These stations will be awarded to private developers under the Swiss challenge method.
- It involves inviting proposal online and allowing rival bidders to beat that proposal.
- Amenities at Revamped stations: Escalators, elevators, digital signage, self-ticketing counters, executive lounges, walkways, luggage screening machines, free and paid WiFi, etc.
- Commercial potential of the vacant Railway land at and near the stations will be leveraged to develop world-class stations.
What is the significance of this programme?
- The entire programme is estimated to attract investment of up to Rs 1 lakh crore from the developers.
- It will help Railways will generate a surplus of Rs 10,000 crore which can be invested in other modernisation programmes.
- It will benefit more than 100 cities and 16 million passengers per day across the country.