| In a move aimed at generating additional resources, the railway land development authority (RLDA) has selected 61 sites for commercial use.
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| The RLDA, which was set up recently, would formally come into force by January-end and is likely to issue notifications for the development of specific projects at the selected sites across the country, Rail Bhawan sources said.
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| The selected 61 sites are spread over an area of 180 hectares of railway land having commercial potential. Out of these, nine sites spread over an area of approximately six hectares with a total return of Rs 21 crore, have been finalised, the sources said.
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| These sites could be utilised for development of hospitals, hotels, motels, shopping plazas and warehouses among other things for the benefit of the poor.
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| Describing the move as “revolutionary”, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav had said the commercial use of unutilised rail land would generate good revenue and help develop more facilities for the poor.
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| Most of the railway land are along the tracks and are being used for plantation, pisciulture, railway activities like loading and unloading of goods, and even property development through bidding, railway ministry sources said.
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| They said railways had taken land on long lease from various state governments, who often raised objections and asked for revenue sharing through such activities. Identification and development of surplus railway land may help the national life line to overcome all these problems by developing their own infrastructure on the land owned by it through the rlda.
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| Earlier, prasad had said that while railways will continue to be the owner of the land to be given on lease to private players for commercial development, they should come out with their concrete projects for the benefit of passengers and railways.
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| “Railways were ready to provide other facilities to such players, if and when required,” he said, adding these included use of power, services and transportation.
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| The Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2005, which seeks to further amend the Railways Act of 1989, was passed by the parliament to help the railways to get rid of encroachments and to put to good use of its land, including in commercial ventures benefiting both the railways and the passengers.
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| The Bill paves way for establishment of the rlda which would prepare schemes for use of railway land and develop it for commercial uses.
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| It may also be entrusted the task of developing warehouses on railway land, beautification of stations, providing modern amenities to rail users and help in reducing traffic congestion in station premises.
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| The rlda shall gradually be a single window for all commercial uses of railway land involving public-private partnership, the ministry sources said.
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| The member (engineering) railway board will be the ex-officio chairman of the authority which will also have a vice-chairman and three other members.
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| According to the sources, railways have 4.23 lakh hectares of land, of which 43,000 hectares were lying vacant and 2,200 hectares encroached upon.
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| Of the total 4.23 lakh hectares owned by railways, 75.3 per cent area (3,19,000 hect) are being used for track and structures including stations, colonies, etc, 10.16 per cent (43,00 hect) for afforestation, 1.40 per cent (6,000 hect) for growing more food scheme and 1.65 per cent (7,000 hect) for commercial licencing. |
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