Initiatives by Northeast Frontier Railway to develop goods sheds through PPP

GUWAHATI: Northeast Frontier Railway is planning to use Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model for selected freight terminals to induct modern technologies and improve efficiencies in freight handling. Buoyed by increased freight loading in the previous fiscal, Northeast Frontier Railway is on track to setting up freight terminals on a public-private partnership basis in the current financial year. Northeast Frontier Railway is planning to develop about 36 Goods sheds through PPP mode spreading all over the five divisions in states like Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland, Sikkim, Bihar and West Bengal. The aim of this new initiative of the PPP model is to develop the existing/new goods sheds by inviting private parties to participate in development.

Implementing the PPP model for goods sheds over Northeast Frontier Railway is also expected to increase its freight business volume. The participation of private parties will also augment the terminal capacity for freight handling. Through the PPP model, development of existing/new goods sheds can be done which are not done so far due to a lack of resources.

The introduction of the PPP model will not only benefit the Railways but also will benefit the private parties. Immense profits can be achieved by the parties in sharing the terminal charge/terminal access charge taken by Railways per tonne on the volume of traffic dealt by terminals. The private parties can utilize the available space for setting up small canteens/tea shops, advertisements etc in areas inside freight terminals during the currency of contract as may be permitted and decided by the Zonal Railways.

The development of goods sheds in PPP mode spreading all over Northeast Frontier Railway, and subsequent increase in freight business volume, will lead to more job creation. It is expected to be helpful for the overall development of the region, a press release said.

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