Indian Railways Revamps Station Redevelopment Unlocking Rs 300 Bn

26 Dec 2024 CW Team

According to ICRA, EPC companies now stand to gain business opportunities worth Rs 300 billion over the next two years related to railway station redevelopment. Vinay Kumar G, Sector Head for Corporate Ratings at ICRA, noted that while competition remains intense in traditional sectors like roads and buildings, the redevelopment of railway stations presents substantial growth opportunities for construction companies, estimated at Rs 300 billion. He emphasised that this sector provides a chance for companies to expand and mitigate risks by diversifying.

Over the past two years, tenders for station redevelopment projects have faced moderate competition, with discounts of up to 18 per cent, and the median discount standing at about 4 per cent. This trend mirrors other railway EPC projects, where the median discount is around 5 per cent. Given that Indian Railways is considered a reliable counterparty, the receivable cycle is expected to be short, similar to that of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Key railway stations awarded redevelopment under the EPC model include Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminal (CSMT), Ahmedabad, Surat, Prayagraj, Bangalore Cantt, Chennai Egmore, and Secunderabad, among others. Additionally, tenders for 765 more stations are still pending, with notable stations such as New Delhi, Pune, Borivali, Mumbai Central, Thane, and Amritsar yet to be awarded.

Indian Railways is considering redeveloping a total of 1,318 railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Initially, the government had planned to carry out most of these station redevelopment projects through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, which was expected to contribute approximately 12 per cent to the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) target. However, limited participation in PPP projects—due to factors like pricing restrictions, market risks related to real estate development, and a lack of a solid track record in railway PPPs—led the government to shift to the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) model for station redevelopment in December 2022. To support this transition, the budget allocation increased significantly, from Rs 21.59 billion in FY2023 to Rs 155.11 billion in the FY2025 Budget Estimates (BE), with expectations for continued strong funding in the medium term. According to ICRA, EPC companies now stand to gain business opportunities worth Rs 300 billion over the next two years related to railway station redevelopment. Vinay Kumar G, Sector Head for Corporate Ratings at ICRA, noted that while competition remains intense in traditional sectors like roads and buildings, the redevelopment of railway stations presents substantial growth opportunities for construction companies, estimated at Rs 300 billion. He emphasised that this sector provides a chance for companies to expand and mitigate risks by diversifying. Over the past two years, tenders for station redevelopment projects have faced moderate competition, with discounts of up to 18 per cent, and the median discount standing at about 4 per cent. This trend mirrors other railway EPC projects, where the median discount is around 5 per cent. Given that Indian Railways is considered a reliable counterparty, the receivable cycle is expected to be short, similar to that of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Key railway stations awarded redevelopment under the EPC model include Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminal (CSMT), Ahmedabad, Surat, Prayagraj, Bangalore Cantt, Chennai Egmore, and Secunderabad, among others. Additionally, tenders for 765 more stations are still pending, with notable stations such as New Delhi, Pune, Borivali, Mumbai Central, Thane, and Amritsar yet to be awarded.

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