SATISH HANDA
In order to increase facilities for passengers travelling in rails in the country, work on this project has been started on war footing basis by Ministry of Railways. Vinod Kumar Yadav Chairman Railway Board had a meeting with all concerned senior railway officers and gave green signal to proposed project for starting rail service on 109 important routes in the country on private public partnership (PPP) mode dividing the country in 12 clusters for which tenders has been invited.
According to a railway spokesman guard, driver and rail engines will be arranged by the railways in these high speed trains having extra facilities for travelling passengers including ultra modern coaches and providing all basic comforts to passengers providing confirmed tickets. He disclosed that these trains comprising of 16 compartments in each train will reach destinations at right time. As regard fare in these trains running on PPP mode would be higher than ordinary trains because of lesser number of seats in each compartment and excessive comforts available to the passengers in these luxury trains.
According to railway department information, tenders for the investors willing to work on PPP mode with railway department has been invited till September 9, 2020. Yadav on video conference told media persons that maintenance of these trains will be carried by private partners to be monitored by the railway department already prepared a schedule for routes on which these trains would ply on rail tracks initially in 12 clusters across the country on daily or weekly service covering all important routes in every state, which include 40 routes from Mumbai, 26 routes from Delhi, 18 routes from Chandigarh, 22 routes from Howrah, 20 routes from Patna, 26 routes from Prayagraj, 20 routes from Secunderabad, 18 routes from Jaipur, 24 routes from Chinnai and 10 routes from Bangluru.
According to information, first train in the country having 14 compartments carrying 400 passengers covered 34 km distance between Mumbai and Thane on April 16, 1853. Today, Indian Railways having fourth biggest network across the world has become lifeline for people in the country having highest number of employees. In 1990 railways in the country started witnessing drastic growth in both economic and development sectors and decision to privatise railways was suggested by experts but first such train ‘Tejas’ between Delhi and Lucknow arrived on the rail track in 2018 by IRCTC. The year 2019-20 proved historic when Indian Railways Management Service decided to introduce privatization in railways in the country and permission was granted to start 151 high speed (160 kph) trains on 109 routes under PPP mode by April 2023, which is a real challenge for Indian Railways when various railway employees welfare associations opposed the decision.
Information also reveals, in pre-bid meeting with the senior executives of nearly 23 investment companies were seen willing to work with Indian Railways on PPP mode some of them include Bharat Forge, Siemens, GMR, BHEL, Gateway Rails, RK Associates, Medha Group, Titagarh Wangas, IRCTC already having association with railways and few more. According to information, a bidder will not be allotted association with railways in more than three clusters, those willing to participate in tenders may seek clarifications by August 21, 2020, last date for submitting tenders has been fixed September 8, 2020, list of short-listed applicants will be released within 60 days after due date of submitting tender and final list of successful bidders will be released on November 8, 2020.
According to s senior Northern Railway officer, there is proposal to bring 12 trains on rail tracks during year 2022-23, 45 trains on the track during year 2023-24 and 50 trains on the track during year 2024-25 under PPP mode. He told that 14 trains have been proposed for Punjab and Haryana state to carry passengers not only within these states but up to Maharashtra. He disclosed, these high speed trains will cover 266 km journey between Delhi and Chandigarh in 3 hours instead of 4 hours 10 minutes at present. Similarly, 432 km journey from New Delhi to Amritsar will be covered in 5 hours 35 minutes in these high speed trains instead of 6 hours 20 minutes at present. He told that there is also a proposal for two trains daily between Lucknow and Katra for Mata Vishno Devi pilgrims having stoppages at important railway stations on the way.
