Railways to use space above platforms for passenger facilities

NEW DELHI: As part of its ambitious Rs 2,30,000 crore outlay for the 11th Plan, Indian Railways plans to use space above platforms in Delhi, Mumbai and other cities to build passenger amenities by involving private players.

"Areas around stations and space above platforms could be commercially developed through Public-Private-Partnership (PPP). The main objective should be to increase platform space by shifting major platform-level operational and passenger services to the first floor concourse level," the Working Group on Railways for the 11th Plan said in its report.

The Group, headed by Railway Board Chairman J P Batra, suggested that a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) be created, in which Railway Land Development Authority would put assets as equity while private partners could invest money as equity.

The face-lift of major railway stations could cover the entire length and breadth of platform areas to create world-class passenger amenities and services, it said.

The Group said region or city-specific SPVs with private partnership should be established initially for identifying, project development and marketing of railway lines through competitive bidding to maximise sharing of revenues.

Railways has planned an outlay of Rs 2,30,000 crore (under the base case scenario) during 2007-12. This will include a budgetary support of Rs 95,000 crore, internal resources of Rs 75,000 crore and extra-budgetary resource of Rs 60,000 crore.