Redevelopment of New Delhi railway station inches closer to reality. 10 updates

Indian Railways'New Delhi railway station is the largest and second busiest station in the country and handles approximately 4.5 lakh passengers daily (approximately 160 -170 million passengers annually) will be redeveloped by Rail Land Development Authority(RLDA) which has invited bids from private players.

The station handles around 400 trains per day which are expected to further increase due to higher operational efficiencies resulting from the redevelopment and better yard utilization.

Here are the latest updates on the Redevelopment plan of New Delhi railway station:

• Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) has invited online bids from private players to redevelop New Delhi Railway Station into an integrated commercial, retail and hospitality hub.
• The objective of this ambitious project is to position the New Delhi Railway Station as a multi-model hub through upgradation of the infrastructure and provision of state-of-the-art amenities such as elevated concourse, multi-level car parking and much more to passengers.
• The project would be developed on a Design-Build Finance Operate Transfer (DBFOT) model for a concession period of 60 years. The estimated capital expenditure for the project is approximately INR 6,500 crores and is slated to be completed in around four years.
• “New Delhi is the national capital and a nerve centre of political, economic and social activities. The city has a glorious past which is impeccably manifested in its ethos, culture, and architectural brilliance. The architectural expression and space configuration of the proposed station estate is envisaged to be a unique blend of historical significance and modernity. New Delhi Railway Station will be transformed into a world-class, one-stop destination for retail, commercial and hospitality business. The development will boost the tourism potential and accentuate real estate as well as investment prospects in New Delhi and surrounding regions,” said Shri Ved Parkash Dudeja, Vice Chairman, RLDA.
• The phased redevelopment would involve station redevelopment, development of associated infrastructure, upgradation of social infrastructure as well as refurbishment of railway offices and railway quarters.
• Some of the salient features of the planned redevelopment include an elevated concourse with segregation of arriving and departing passengers, refurbished platforms with easy access from the concourse level, mezzanine level exclusively for passenger facilities such as lounges, food courts and restrooms, an elevated road network with multiple entry and exit points, a multi-level car parking facility and Green Building provisions such as optimum use of natural ventilation and lighting.
• The project would also include a significant commercial component entailing a mix of retail, office, and hospitality developments such as 5-star hotels, budget hotels and serviced apartments on approximately 30 acres of land.
• It also envisages a business district to be located on the outer circle of Connaught Place and near Bhavabhuti Marg, close to Civic Centre. The station will be integrated with DMRC yellow line, airport express line and with the Connaught Place outer circle through a pedestrian boulevard.
• The concessionaire will earn revenues from several components including passenger handling fees collected from passengers via ticket sales, revenues from passenger facilities within the station such as retail areas, lounges, parking, advertisement spaces, F&B, etc. and income from the development and lease of the commercial components.
• The developer is expected to give an annual concession fee (ACF) (bid variable) to the authority along with a fixed upfront premium.

RLDA is currently working on 62 railway stations in a phased manner while its subsidiary, IRSDC has taken up another 61 stations. In the first phase, RLDA has prioritised prominent stations like New Delhi, Tirupati, Dehradun, Nellore, and Puducherry for redevelopment. The railway stations across India will be redeveloped on a PPP model as a part of Smart City Projects launched by the Government of India.

Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Railways, for the development of vacant Railway land for commercial use in line with the objective to generate revenue by non-tariff measures. Currently, the Indian Railway has approximately 43,000 hectares of vacant land across India. RLDA has over 79 commercial (green field) sites across India for leasing and the eligible developers for each will be selected through an open and transparent bid process.