IRSDC pitches to develop 17 stations on Delhi ring rail network

Seventeen stations on Delhi's 35-km ring rail network could soon get a makeover if the Railway Board approves a proposal by the station redevelopment arm of the Indian Railways to commercially develop them, officials said.

The ring rail, constructed in 1975, links with the 231-km Delhi Metro network at seven locations and this, the officials say, creates a potential for investment.

Among the stations likely to get a facelift are Lajpat Nagar, Lodi Colony, Sarojini Nagar, Safdurjung and Chanakyapuri.

"We have given a proposal to the Board to develop 17 of the 21 stations commercially. These stations are under-utilised and can be developed to generate revenue," said S K Lohia, managing director, Indian Railway Station Development Corporation. The

IRSDC is also in-charge of redeveloping 600 railway stations across India.

The ring rail network carried around 4,000 people daily. "This is an example of transit oriented development. We will do a comprehensive study once our plan is approved by the board," said Lohia.

Officials say the area around these stations will be developed commercially and hotels, restaurants, hospitals, shops, parlours, games parlours and residential complexes would be constructed.

The rail ministry will soon kick off its station redevelopment plan worth Rs 1 lakh crore. Its state-run unit, the Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation (IRSDC), will raise Rs 4,000 crore from the markets to upgrade at least 50 stations, as per a report by Business Standard.

This project will be undertaken by the railway ministry on its own with help from IRSDC under an engineering, procurement and construction model since private companies did not show much interest when tenders were floated for the redevelopment of 21 stations.