New Delhi Railway Station redevelopment project hits a roadblock

The New Delhi Railway Station's (NDLS) future appears to have been disrupted by the past. Officials told the media that the plan to redevelop the railway station may have to be scrapped because the National Monuments Authority (NMA), the body tasked with the protection and preservation of monuments and sites, has yet to give its approval.

While the Railways Ministry hopes to receive approvals from the NMA before the end of the current fiscal year, there is currently no clarity. The critical issue is that one of the two central structures of the redeveloped railway station falls within the monuments' restricted area under the current plan.

The redevelopment of the New Delhi Railway Station is expected to cost $680 million roughly Rs 5,110 crore over four years. The proposal provides the developer with multiple revenue streams, including gains from real estate rights for 60 years.

The proposed redevelopment of the New Delhi Railway Station.

The redevelopment of NDLS is being overseen by the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), a statutory body under the Ministry of Railways. This is the first project in Delhi-NCR to use the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) concept. TOD projects aim to increase the number of residential, commercial, and leisure spaces within walking distance of public transportation. In February 2021, the Request For Qualification (RFQ) stage was completed.

The RFQ was filed by the Arabian Construction Company, Adani Railways Transport, BIF IV India Infrastructure Holding (DIFC), ISQ Asia Infrastructure Investments, Anchorage Infrastructure Investments Holdings, Kalpataru Power Transmission, GMR Highways, Omaxe, and Elpis Ventures. After receiving approval from the NMA, the Railways Ministry will begin the bidding process with these potential developers.

The railway station will be redeveloped into two dome-shaped terminal buildings with two arrival and departure areas on the concourse level, two multi-modal transportation hubs on both sides, and 40-story twin towers. A pedestrian boulevard with high-street shopping is included in the plan. The proposed development plan incorporates pedestrian movement, cycle tracks, green tracks, and non-motorized vehicles.

The station's master plan covers 120 hectares, with 88 hectares under construction in Phase 1. The Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) model will be used to complete the project, which will result in the development of approximately 1.2 million sq m of built-up area.

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