Private train-runners given conditions to pick halts; historic 2023 Railway pilot detailed

Private operators who will be given 150 trains to run on 109 routes by the Railway Ministry will have the freedom to choose halt stations of their trains, the Indian Railways has said. However, the private operators have to submit in advance the list of such intermediate stations on the routes where they are proposing to halt.  

The private operators must also provide the in-time and out-time at the intermediate railway stations, which will form part of the train operation plan. Such details have to be submitted in advance and remain in place for at least a year, after which it may be revised, a draft of the Concession Agreement said.

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"The Concessionaire shall have the flexibility in deciding the stops/ halts in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Concession Agreement," the Railways has said in reply to a query by one of the private players who attended pre-application meetings.

The number of such halts by the private trains cannot exceed the number of existing halts of the fastest train of the Railways operating in that route. The train operation plan submitted by private players must also include the stations at which the water tanks will be filled, washing lines or stabling lines at which the train toilets would be cleaned.

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What will the Indian Railways gain?

The fares for private trains that are scheduled to begin operations by 2023 will be decided by the private operators themselves, depending on market conditions. Bombardier Transportation India, Siemens Limited, Alstom Transport India Ltd are among the 23 firms that have shown interest in running private trains. The first-of-its-kind project is expected to see private sector investment of around Rs 30,000 crore in the Indian Railways.

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The 109 pairs of routes have been formed into 12 clusters, covering major parts of the Indian Railways network. The project aims to upgrade passenger experience on the railway network to world-class standards, with modernised rakes, which will be manufactured mainly in the country under the Make in India' initiative.

Indian Railways will earn by charging the private company fixed transport charges and energy charges as per actual consumption. It will also get a share in the gross revenue which will be determined through a transparent bidding process.

The private train operator needs access to the Railway's PRS (passenger reservation system) to manage and distribute its ticket inventory. They may have to pay a charge to the Indian Railways for using such a reservation system.

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(With inputs from PTI)