Lok Sabha Question No. 1592 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-27
Subject: Assets of Indian Railways
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Pratima Mondal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYSm

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1592 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.11.2019

## ASSETS OF INDIAN RAILWAYS

1592.   SHRIMATI PRATIMA MONDAL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has been leased out some of the assets of Indian Railways taking into consideration all the assets;

(b) if  so,  the  reasons  behind  such  action  and  the  revenue  earned through it; and

(c) if not, whether there are any future plan of doing so?

ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) to (c):      A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1592 BY SHRIMATI PRATIMA MONDAL TO BE  ANSWERED IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  27.11.2019  REGARDING  ASSETS  OF INDIAN RAILWAYS

(a) to (c): Railway land and Rolling stock are significant tangible assets of Indian  Railways  which  are  leased  out  for  generating  revenues  for  the Government.

As  on  31.03.2019,  the  total    land  available  with  the  Indian Railways is 4.78 lakh hectares out of which  0.51 lakh hectare (approximately)  land is vacant.  This vacant land is mostly in the form of narrow strips along tracks and utilized for servicing and maintenance of track, bridges and other infrastructure. The vacant land is also utilized for execution  of  various  infrastructural  projects  for  meeting  future  growth needs of Railways which include projects like doubling/tripling and traffic facilities  works,  etc.  The  revenue  earned  through  leasing  of  land  for building, other purposes and property development of land and air space for the year 2018-19 and 2019-20 (upto Sept - 2019) is as under:

(

` in Crore)

| Year                       |   Land Leased out for Building Purpose |   Land Leased out for other purpose |   Property Development of Land/Air space |
|----------------------------|----------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| 2018-19                    |                                  12.87 |                              781.45 |                                    18.18 |
| 2019-20 (upto Sept - 2019) |                                   6.04 |                              503.47 |                                     1.31 |

Vacant land which is not required by Railways for its immediate operational use is also utilized to generate revenue through commercial …2/-

development  on  long  term  lease basis  by  Rail  Land  Development Authority  (RLDA),  wherever  feasible.  RLDA  has  been  entrusted  75  sites measuring  239.52  hectares  of  land  for  commercial  development  as  on date.  During  the  year  2019-20  (upto  Oct.,  2019),  RLDA  has  earned ` 845.94 Cr.

With  a  view  to  maximize  utilization  of  un-utilized/under-utilized parcel space in Brake Vans (SLRs) of various Mail/Express trains, scheme for leasing SLRs for parcel traffic was introduced by Ministry of Railways in November, 1991. Presently, the scheme is governed by 'Comprehesive Parcel Leasing Policy' (CPLP). Similarly, entire parcel capacity in full rake comprising  of  Parcel  vans  are  leased  out  to  the  Private  operator (registered leaseholders) by inviting bids  through  tenders  between specific originating-destination stations. Presently, the scheme is governed by Policy for leasing of  'Parcel Cargo Express Trains (PCET)'. Revenue  earned  through  leasing  of  parcel  space  under  the  'CPLP'  and 'PCET' policy, during the fiscal year 2018-19 is ` 645.22 Cr.

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