Indian Railways' plan to generate Rs 390 bn from non-fare tenders derails

The cancellation of the tenders came when the Railway Board withdrew the powers of awarding contracts from railway subsidiary RITES and gave them to railways zones

The Indian Railways’ plans to generate Rs 390 billion from non-fare sources over 10 years have become doubtful, with the national transporter withdrawing tenders for out-of-home (OOH) advertisements and advertisements on trains owing to a “low industry response” and “technical reasons”.

OOH included station areas, overbridges, underbridges, level-crossing gates, railway colonies, workshops, production units, and railway land along tracks. These initiatives would have added at least Rs 82.5 billion to its revenues over 10 years. 

According to sources close to the development, the cancellation of the tenders came when the Railway Board withdrew the powers of awarding contracts from railway