Several steps have been taken to increase non-fare revenue of Indian Railways by monetization of land and other assets. These include:
i. Policy for leveraging Mobile Assets, Out of Home Advertising, Rail Display Network, Unsolicited proposals and Content on Demand.
ii. Commercial utilization of vacant land through Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA).
Government of India has permitted 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on automatic route in the following activities/areas of Railway Infrastructure:
i. Suburban corridor projects through Public Private Partnership.
ii. High-speed train projects.
iii. Dedicated freight lines.
iv. Rolling stock including train sets, and locomotives or coaches manufacturing and maintenance facilities.
v. Railway Electrification.
vi. Signalling systems.
vii. Freight terminals.
viii. Passenger terminals.
ix. Infrastructure in industrial park pertaining to railway lines or sidings including electrified railway lines and connectivities to main railway line.
x. Mass Rapid Transport Systems.
Foreign Direct Investment in these areas is subject to sectoral guidelines, which include necessary safety certification from central government or its authorized entity. The FDI policy is also open for U.S. businesses.
In order to give a facelift to the Indian Railways and cater to diverse needs of passengers, some of the steps taken include:
i. Significant step-up in investment for capacity enhancement, Safety and Modernization of Railways.
ii. Improvement and upgradation of various passenger amenities like foot over bridges, lifts, escalators, toilets, battery operated vehicles, wheel chairs, waiting rooms.
iii. Leveraging information technology for online ticketing and enquiry services.
iv. Introduction of various premium train services like Humsafar, Tejas, Antyodaya, Utkrisht Double Decker Air-conditioned Yatri (UDAY), Mahamana and coaches like Deen Dayalu and Anubhuti.
This information was given by the Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.