SECR to seek new ideas, concepts to improve passenger amenities

The South East Central Railway (SECR) will be seeking help for promoting new ideas and concepts related to passenger convenience in order to generate non fare revenue, officials informed.

The Union Ministry of Railways last year had also decided it would take up development of Multi Functional Complexes (MFCs) at six Railway Stations in Chhattisgarh.

They are-- Raipur, Bilaspur, Bhilai, Durg, Korba and Raigarh, officials stated.

As a part of Railway’s commitment to upgrade/augment passenger amenities at Railway Stations on continuous basis, development of Multi Functional Complexes (MFCs) at Railway Stations was first announced in Railway Budget 2009-10 to provide rail user facilities like Shopping, Food Stalls & Restaurants, Book Stalls, PCOs/STD/ ISD/FAX Booths, Medicine & Variety Stores, Budget Hotels (subject to viability), parking, etc.

Initially, development of MFCs was assigned to Railway Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) who develop MFCs with their own equity and to Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) who develop MFCs through private sector participation. Total expenditure incurred by PSUs on construction of MFCs since beginning is approximately Rs 109 crore. No expenditure is incurred by RLDA for developing MFCs.

Subsequently, some of the MFCs were assigned to Zonal Railways. Works for developing MFCs by Zonal Railways are sanctioned under Plan Head – ‘Passenger Amenities’.