Railways identify areas for PPP projects

New Delhi, Apr 25 (UNI) The government today said the Railways had identified development of world class stations, setting up of manufacturing units for rolling stock and infrastructure projects for port connectivity through Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) as possible areas for execution of projects through PPP route.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Railway R Velu said several activities in catering, tourism and hospitality areas had also been identified for undertaking projects on the PPP model.

Mr Velu said some of the projects already executed or sanctioned with private participation include gauge conversion on the Surendra Nagar-Pipavav, Hassan-Mangalore and Gandhidham-Palanpur sections and new railway lines on the Haridaspur-Paradip and Obullavaripalli-Krishnapatnam sections.

Under this model, strategic investors who have interest in the project area are invited to participate in Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) as shareholders. The SPV is granted a limited concession period after which the project line is repossessed by the Railways.

Replying to another query, Mr Velu said the Railways had decided to establish super speciality hospitals in certain cities.

A hospital at Ptana, with super speciality wings in cardiology and nephrology, is likely to be completed by March next year.

There is a plan to construct Cancer-Cardiac Centre at the Northern railway Hospital, New Delhi and two cardiac centres, one each at Jagjivan Ram Hospital, Mumbai and B R Singh Hospital, Howrah.

Mr velu said it was also proposed to upgrade the existing super speciality (cardiology) hospital at Perambur, Chennai and the Cancer Research Institute of North-Eastern Railway at Varanasi.

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