Cabinet extends lease period for railways land, cuts licensing fee

NEW DELHI:  The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a revised policy for long-term leasing of railway land for cargo-related works and public utility facilities.

The decision has cleared the decks for the development of social infrastructure such as hospitals through public-private partnerships and schools through Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan on railway land at an annual fee of Rs 1 per sq.m. 

The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also approved the policy for long-term leasing of railway land for the PM Gati Shakti programme, under which 300 cargo terminals would be set up across the country, generating about 1.25 lakh jobs.

The approval will enable the railways to provide long-term leasing of its land for cargo-related works for up to 35 years at the rate of 1.5 per cent of market value of land per annum.

The railways said in a statement, “Three hundred PM Gati Shakti cargo terminals would be developed over the next five years, and about 1.2 lakh employment opportunities would be generated.

The new policy after approval will also simplify railway land use and the Right of Way (ROW) for integrated development of public service utilities, like electricity, gas, water supply, sewage disposal and urban transport by providing railway land at the rate of 1.5% of market value of land per annum.”

The railways added that the revised approved policy provides for use of railway land at nominal cost for setting up solar plants.

“Now, the railways will attract more cargo, increased share in freight traffic and reduce the logistics cost for the industry, generating more revenue for the railways,” the statement added.

The policy document will be prepared and implemented within 90 days. Clearance will also be simplified for setting up public utilities.

NEW DELHI:  The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a revised policy for long-term leasing of railway land for cargo-related works and public utility facilities. The decision has cleared the decks for the development of social infrastructure such as hospitals through public-private partnerships and schools through Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan on railway land at an annual fee of Rs 1 per sq.m.  The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also approved the policy for long-term leasing of railway land for the PM Gati Shakti programme, under which 300 cargo terminals would be set up across the country, generating about 1.25 lakh jobs. The approval will enable the railways to provide long-term leasing of its land for cargo-related works for up to 35 years at the rate of 1.5 per cent of market value of land per annum. The railways said in a statement, “Three hundred PM Gati Shakti cargo terminals would be developed over the next five years, and about 1.2 lakh employment opportunities would be generated. The new policy after approval will also simplify railway land use and the Right of Way (ROW) for integrated development of public service utilities, like electricity, gas, water supply, sewage disposal and urban transport by providing railway land at the rate of 1.5% of market value of land per annum.” The railways added that the revised approved policy provides for use of railway land at nominal cost for setting up solar plants. “Now, the railways will attract more cargo, increased share in freight traffic and reduce the logistics cost for the industry, generating more revenue for the railways,” the statement added. The policy document will be prepared and implemented within 90 days. Clearance will also be simplified for setting up public utilities.