'Rail Ratna' to come up on surplus land: Lalu

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today announced the construction of 100 budget hotels on surplus railway land under the brand name 'Rail Ratna', across the country through public-private partnership.

The Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), which has earmarked land required for dedicated freight corridors and other projects, has given the green signal for the remaining land to be commercialy exploited, he said at the two-day Economic Editors conference.

"Keeping this in view, Indian Railways has decided to construct at least 100 budget hotels on its land across the country to offer facilities to its passengers," Prasad said.

"Tenders have been floated for construction or renovation of hotels in Madurai, Vijayawada, Secunderabad, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Tirupati, Kanyakumari, Rameshwaram, Ooty, Nagpur, New Jalpaiguri, Agra, Pune, Darjeeling, Habibganj (Bhopal), Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Sealdah and Lalgarh (Bikaner)," P K Goel, chairman and MD of Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation told PTI.

"IRCTC has invited bids from firms engaged in operation and maintenance of at least two-star hotel with offering food facility," Goel added.