Railways invites EoI from banks for installing ATMs at stations

New Delhi, Jan 21 (UNI) After inking deals with the SBI and six other nationalised banks for setting up Automatic Teller Machines at stations, the Railway Ministry has invited Expression of Interest (EoI) from all other banks for installing ATMs at different stations, in a step aimed at qualitatively upgrading the profile of passenger amenities.

A ministry official said preference would be given to those banks which are interested to install their ATMs at various categories of stations and not only confining themselves to stations in metros and mini-metros.

However, the offers from the banks interested in signing deals (minimum 50 ATMs) with the Railways have to be made latest by January 31.

''The interested banks can submit their detailed proposal indicating the number of their branches, number of ATMs installed by the banks themselves and the number of ATMs where they have tie-ups with other banks,Ғ the official said.

As part of the arrangement, the banks will have to install kiosks by the side of the ATMs with internet-enabled computers at major stations to enable passengers avail the facility of e-ticketing.

Initial and recurring cost of installing the ATM structure and electricity and connectivity charges will be borne by the banks, which will also have to pay annual licence fees to be fixed by the Railways for each location.

Late last year, the ministry had signed an agreement with the SBI and six nationalised banks for installing ATMs at 1,393 locations across the country, out of which e-ticketing facility would be available at around 857 locations. All these ATMs will cover urban, semi-urban and rural areas. The deal with the six banks alone is expected to swell the Railways' coffers by Rs 25 crore annually.

The MoUs were signed between the Railways and the Chairmen/CMDs of the six banks -- Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Dena Bank, Indian Bank, Punjab National Bank and Union Bank of India -- in the presence of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad.

Describing the deal as ''historic'', Mr Prasad then said it would considerably bolster the revenues of the Railways. ''More importantly, it will provide great comforts to the travelling passengers by reducing the long queues at windows for buying tickets,'' he added.

Under the arrangement, travelling passengers can not only pull out money not exceeding Rs 15,000 from these ATMs but also get print-outs of their reserved tickets. More than one bank can install this facility at one station as also at stations already covered by the SBI. However, banks having greater presence in a particular area will be given preference.

Earlier on August 4 last year, the Railways signed an MoU with the SBI for installation of ATMs at 681 railway stations with e-ticketing facility at major stations.

The ATMs will provide not only banking facilities to railway users but also season tickets and unreserved tickets. In fact, the season ticket facility has already been introduced in Mumbai.

The SBI had set up its first ATM at Ernakulama station in May 2002. The then Minister of State for Railways O Rajagopal had inaugurated it.

Indian Railways, comprising 16 zones and 67 divisions, have more than 8,000 stations across the country and carry more than 16 million passengers everyday.

''Such a wide network offers vast potential to serve a large number of bank customers by having ATMs of the banks within the station premises, thus diverting their customers from banks to ATMs and resulting in saving of cost on manning of counters in the banks,Ғ the official pointed out.

UNI