GUWAHATI, Feb 6 - The project for re-development of the Kamakhya Railway Station will be launched on February 8.
NF Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Pranav Jyoti Sharma said the Indian Railways is planning to kick-start its ambitious programme to re-develop 400 key stations in the country. This includes 22 stations in the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) zone.
�To take the scheme further in a planned fashion, Indian Railways has carried out detailed assessment involving renowned consultants and has taken market feedback. Based on this, Indian Railways has prioritised about 23 stations in the pipeline for Phase I. Kamakhya Station of NFR is also included in the first phase,� Sharma said.
Phase I of the re-development programme will be launched on February 8 by Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhu in a centralised manner in New Delhi.
The launch will be held simultaneously across the 23 stations, including Kamakhya, by video conferencing.
�Bid documents for technical cum financial offer would be available immediately after the launch,� Sharma said. He said the re-developed stations would provide amenities and services to the passengers in line with world-class railway stations.
�The stations will be re-developed through public-private-partnership (PPP) model without straining Railways� finances. The re-developed stations will improve passenger experience by providing amenities like digital signage, escalators and elevators, self-ticketing counters, executive lounges, luggage screening machines, walkways, holding areas for passengers, grand and distinctive roofing and flooring, free and paid Wi-Fi, etc,� he said.
Sharma added, �The Railway Board has devised an innovative plan to provide these amenities through PPP model by leveraging the real estate available at the railway stations. Commercial potential of vacant railway land at or near stations, which will be given for a lease period of 45 years, will be leveraged to develop world-class stations with no additional funding required from the Railways. The programme will also generate surplus for the Indian Railways which can be invested in other modernisation projects.�