Indian railways pitches for over Rs 8 lakh crore investment

Aiming at a massive investment of more than Rs 8 lakh crore over the next five years, Railways has firmed up various models to attract private participation for capacity augmentation of the state-run transporter. A participative policy for rail connectivity and capacity augmentation has been in place with five models for building rail connectivity. Non-Government Railway (NGR), Joint Venture (JV), Build Operate and Transfer (BOT), capacity augmentation with funding provided by customers and capacity augmentation through annuity are five models to attract private investment.

Further, the private companies which have been permitted to build rail connectivity under the participative policy includes JSW Jaigarh Port for Jaigarh port rail connectivity, Rewas Port for Rewas port rail connectivity, Balaji Infra Development for Lalitpur-Udaipura (electrification) and Dhamra Port for Dhamra port rail connectivity.

Other firms which are working under Railways' participative policy includes  Navayuga Engineering Company for Astrangra port rail connectivity, Nargol Rail Link for Nargol port rail connectivity, Simar Port for Chhara port rail connectivity, Hazira Port Infra for Hazira port rail connectivity and Dighi Port Liited for Dighi port rail connectivity.  Moreover, the government has also permitted 100 percent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in construction, operation and maintenance of suburban corridors through public private partnership (PPP) for high speed train projects and dedicated freight lines