RLDA To Develop 49 More Stations Into World-Class Facilities

Focussing on redevelopment of stations, the Indian Railways has entrusted the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) with converting an additional 49 railway stations across India into world class facilities.

Some of these stations are Amravati, Rajkot, Mathura, Agra Fort, Bikaner, Kurushetra and Bhopal among others.

RLDA is already developing 60 railway stations as part of the Smart Cities project of the Government of India. "We look forward to the mandate. The station redevelopment is intrinsically linked to urban rejuvenation. The redevelopment of these stations will offer world-class amenities to passengers and enhance their travel experience," said RLDA Vice Chairman Ved Parkash Dudeja.

Meerut, Moradabad, Tatanagar, Haridwar, New Cooch Behar, Dhanbad Chapra, Chennai, Rajkot, Jalandhar and Rajahmundry are other stations among 40 to be redeveloped.

"It will also lead to a multiplier effect on the local economy, boosting retail, real estate and tourism, thus generating employment opportunities. As a responsible organisation, RLDA is steadfastly committed to delivering these stations as per schedule to fulfil the aspirations of New India," added Dudeja.

RLDA has successfully concluded a Request for Qualification (RFQ) for the Puri and Lucknow stations, inviting bids from eligible developers to participate in the redevelopment process.

These station projects will be redeveloped under the PPP model.

RLDA is a statutory authority under the Ministry of Railways for the development of railway land. It has four key mandates as part of its development plan, namely leasing commercial sites, colony redevelopment, station redevelopment and multi-functional complexes.

Indian Railways has approximately 43,000 hectares of vacant land across India. RLDA is currently handling 84 railway colony redevelopment projects and has recently leased out three railway colonies in Guwahati and Secunderabad for redevelopment.

RLDA has over 100 commercial (greenfield) sites across India for leasing, and the eligible developers for each will be selected through an open and transparent bidding process.

RLDA is now working on 109 railway stations in a phased manner. In the first phase, RLDA has prioritised prominent stations like New Delhi, Tirupati, Dehradun, Nellore, Cuttack, Lucknow and Puducherry for redevelopment.