New Delhi: The Indian Railways is launching an ambitious station redevelopment programme across the country, and China, Singapore, Canada and Germany are among nine countries that are likely to participate in it by helping redevelop Indian stations.
Among the other countries, which have shown interest in redeveloping the 400-plus stations are South Korea, the United Kingdom, France and Malaysia. Under this programme, the more than 400 major stations would be provided with world-class passenger amenities involving investment of more than Rs 1 lakh crore in the Public Private Partnership mode for 15 years.
Each of these countries has been awarded different stations to develop. China would be developing Jhansi and Agra stations, South Korea will develop New Delhi station, France Ludhiana and Ambala stations. Canada has shown interest in redeveloping a few stations in Mumbai and Malaysia is keen to develop Howrah, Secunderabad, Udaipur, Faridabad, Indore and Pune stations.
A senior railways ministry official said many countries have shown immense interest in the redevelopment programme.
The stations would be redeveloped with a view to use vacant land in and around stations for commercial purposes. Besides, malls, hotels, multiplexes, parking lots, eateries and other business activities will be redeveloped on such premises.
The developer would be granted 45 years of leasing rights of such commercial properties. The government, which has earmarked Rs 1.31 lakh crore for capital expenditure this year, would not have to incur any expenditure to rebuild the stations. The Railways, which has not seen any major infrastructure development for long, have finalised plans for investment of at least Rs 8 lakh crore in the next five years to modernise the public transporters which still moved the bulk of the output from coal pits, cement silos, and steel factories.
