Railways call for bids to run private trains on 109 routes

`30,000cr investment likely; concession will be for 35 yrs

Taking a major step towards privatisation of trains, the railway ministry on Wednesday sought Request for Qualifications (RFQ) from private players for the operation of passenger services on 109 pairs of routes through the introduction of 151 modern trains (rakes).

Railway officials said the objective was to introduce modern technology rolling stock with reduced maintenance, reduced transit time, boost job creation, provide enhanced safety, offer a world-class travel experience to passengers, and also reduce the demand-supply deficit in passenger transportation.

The selected private entities shall be responsible for financing, procuring and maintaining the trains while the guards and drivers of the trains will be from the Indian Railways.

This is the first initiative to run private passenger trains over the mammoth Indian Railways network. The majority of trains will have to be manufactured in India under the “Make in India” programme.

Railway officials said the project will entail private sector investment of about `30,000 crores. The concession period for the project will be 35 years.

The 109 pairs have been formed into 12 clusters, and each train will have a minimum of 16 coaches. Trains shall be designed for a maximum speed of 160 kmph, that will lead to a substantial cut in journey times, the railway officials said.

“The running time taken by a train shall be comparable to or faster than the fastest train of Indian Railways,” officials said.