New Delhi : An MoU between Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) and National Building Construction Corporation Ltd. has been signed on 30.06.2017 for redevelopment of 10 stations viz. Tirupati, Delhi Sarai Rohilla, Nellore, Madgaon, Charbagh (Lucknow), Gomtinagar, Kota, Thane New, Ernakulam Jn. and Puducherry as a part of the SMART City project launched by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Contracts have been awarded for redevelopment of Gomtinagar and Charbagh (Lucknow) railway stations. Bids have been invited for redevelopment of Puducherry and Tirupati stations.

Station redevelopment is planned by leveraging commercial development of land & air space in and around stations, i.e. vacant railway land and air space not required by Railways for its immediate operational needs shall be leased out to interested parties for setting up commercial establishments.

The revenues realized from commercial development of stations should be sufficient to at least cover the entire cost of station redevelopment after meeting the full expenditure on real estate development and Maintenance obligations, i.e. station redevelopment project would be cost neutral to Railways.

This information was given by the Minister of State of Railways, Shri Rajen Gohain in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.