The Ministry of Railways held the second pre-application conference on the Private Train Operations RFQ on 12th August 2020. Attending were 23 prospective applicants from varied sectors.
The first pre-application conference was held on July 21, 2020. Request For Qualification (RFQ) applications were invited in July 2020. The applications will be opened on 8th September 2020.
The private train project is expected to bring in approximately 30,000 crore rupees in the form of investments into the business.
The conference started with a discussion on the overview of the terms of the RFQ and contours of the project. A detailed discussion on the queries raised by the prospective Applicants followed. Clarifications were provided by the officials of MoR and NITI Aayog, thus facilitating improved clarity on the provisions of RFQ and the bidding process.
The responses to the second pre-application conference will be uploaded by 21 Aug 2020.
Post first pre-application conference, Ministry of Railways (MoR) has reduced the RFQ fee by one-tenth for participating in more than one project. Restriction of up to 3 projects per bidder has been removed. MoR also clarified that leasing of trains is allowed. MoR has also shared traffic data, draft concession agreement, draft feasibility report and draft manual for standards and specifications of trains etc.
The private partners for undertaking the project will be selected through a two-stage competitive bidding process comprising of Request for Qualification (RFQ) and Request for Proposal (RFP).
The Indian Railways Private Train Operations Project
The Project for Private Participation in Passenger Train Operations will bring in a paradigm shift in passenger experience. Private trains will significantly enhance the quality of services and reduce transit time. The supply-demand deficit will be addressed through the introduction of modern technology rolling stock.
The project will augment the availability of transportation services for the public. These trains will be in addition to trains already run by Railways, says the ministry.
Introduction of these additional private trains may boost jobs, the Railway Ministry claims.