Indian railways give freedom to private train operators to choose halt stations

A migrant looking through window after boarding a bus in Kolkata on May 10. (Photo: PTI). Sketched by the Pan Pacific Agency.

CHENNAI, Aug 17, 2020, NT. Private operators who will be handed over 150 trains to ply on 109 routes by the Railways will have the freedom to choose halt stations of the trains they operate, say documents released by the national transporter, News Today reported.

But the private operators have to submit in advance to the Railways the list of such intermediate stations on the trains’ paths where they are proposing halts.

The private operators also have to provide the time in and time out at the intermediate railway stations, which shall form part of the train operation plan. This has to be submitted in advance and will be in place for at least a year, after which it can be revised, a draft of the Concession Agreement has said.

“The Concessionaire shall have the flexibility in deciding the stops/ halts in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Concession Agreement,” the Railways has said in reply to a query by one of the private players who attended the pre-application meetings.

The Railways has also said the number of such halts of the private trains will not be more than the number of existing halts of the fastest train of the Railways operating in that route.

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