Private train operations: GMR, L&T, Welspun to participate in RFP
RAILWAYS & METRO RAIL

Private train operations: GMR, L&T, Welspun to participate in RFP

As per an official statement, firms like L&T, GMR, Welspun are among the top firms that have been found eligible to participate in the RFP stage for private participation in passenger train services for 12 clusters comprising 151 trains. 120 applications from 16 firms were received by the railway ministry at the RFP stage, out of which 102 applications were given the eligible status. 


The private investment of Rs 300 billion is envisaged for running passenger trains over the rail network for the first time. 


A two-stage transparent, competitive bidding process comprising a request for qualification (RFQ) and request for proposal (RFP) will be arranged to select the private entities for undertaking the project. 


The RFQ for 12 clusters were published on 1 July 2020, while the applications were opened on October 7, 2020. The ministry has received an excellent response. In total, 120 applications have been received for the 12 clusters, from 16 firms. 


The Ministry of Railways (MoR) said that they have completed the evaluation of applications. While the total number of applications received was 120, 102 applications were found eligible to participate in the RFP stage, the statement added. 


The firms which applied for the clusters include 

  • Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles

  • Arvind Aviation

  • BHEL

  • S.A

  • Cube Highways

  • Gateway Rail Freight Limited

  • Infrastructure III Pvt Ltd.

  • Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd

  • L&T Infrastructure Development Projects Ltd

  • GMR Highways Ltd

  • IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd

  • Malempati Power Private Ltd

With high revenue and footfall, firms showed the most interest in Mumbai and Delhi clusters


While applications received from 19 firms each have been found eligible for two Delhi and Mumbai clusters, five applicants were found suitable for Chandigarh and Chennai clusters. 


Nine applicants were eligible for Jaipur, Secunderabad, and Prayagraj clusters respectively, while Bengaluru, Patna, and Howrah clusters had eight eligible applicants each. According to internal projection, the Indian railways plans to start private train operations by March 2023, with 12 trains. The Ministry of Railways plans to bring in 151 such services.



As per an official statement, firms like L&T, GMR, Welspun are among the top firms that have been found eligible to participate in the RFP stage for private participation in passenger train services for 12 clusters comprising 151 trains. 120 applications from 16 firms were received by the railway ministry at the RFP stage, out of which 102 applications were given the eligible status. The private investment of Rs 300 billion is envisaged for running passenger trains over the rail network for the first time. A two-stage transparent, competitive bidding process comprising a request for qualification (RFQ) and request for proposal (RFP) will be arranged to select the private entities for undertaking the project. The RFQ for 12 clusters were published on 1 July 2020, while the applications were opened on October 7, 2020. The ministry has received an excellent response. In total, 120 applications have been received for the 12 clusters, from 16 firms. The Ministry of Railways (MoR) said that they have completed the evaluation of applications. While the total number of applications received was 120, 102 applications were found eligible to participate in the RFP stage, the statement added. The firms which applied for the clusters include Construcciones y Auxiliar de FerrocarrilesArvind AviationBHELS.ACube HighwaysGateway Rail Freight LimitedInfrastructure III Pvt Ltd.Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation LtdL&T Infrastructure Development Projects LtdGMR Highways LtdIRB Infrastructure Developers LtdMalempati Power Private LtdWith high revenue and footfall, firms showed the most interest in Mumbai and Delhi clusters. While applications received from 19 firms each have been found eligible for two Delhi and Mumbai clusters, five applicants were found suitable for Chandigarh and Chennai clusters. Nine applicants were eligible for Jaipur, Secunderabad, and Prayagraj clusters respectively, while Bengaluru, Patna, and Howrah clusters had eight eligible applicants each. According to internal projection, the Indian railways plans to start private train operations by March 2023, with 12 trains. The Ministry of Railways plans to bring in 151 such services.

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

The Variation Challenge

A variation or change in scope clause is defined in construction contracts to take care of situations arising from change in the defined scope of work. Such changes may arise due to factors such as additions or deletions in the scope of work, modifications in the type, grade or specifications of materials, alterations in specifications or drawings, and acts or omissions of other contractors. Further, ineffective planning, inadequate investigations or surveys and requests from the employer or those within the project’s area of influence can contribute to changes in the scope of work. Ext..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India Spent Rs 1.5 Tn on Smart Cities in Past 10 Years

The Indian government launched the Smart Cities Mission on June 15, 2015, with the goal of transforming urban infrastructure across the country. As of April 11, 2025, ten years since its inception, over Rs 1.5 trillion has been spent on 7,504 completed projects, representing 94 per cent of the total planned projects valued at more than Rs 1.64 trillion. An additional Rs 131.42 billion worth of projects are currently under implementation. According to data from SBI Research, 92 per cent of the funds were utilised across 21 major states, with Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra together ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

Hyundai’s EcoGram Converts Gurugram’s Waste to Clean Energy

Hyundai’s EcoGram, a biogas plant and material recovery facility located in Gurugram, Haryana, has been established to support circular economy initiatives. The facility collects both wet and dry waste from 20 bulk waste generators, including residential welfare associations (RWAs), corporate offices, and commercial complexes, with assistance from the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG). At the facility, the collected waste undergoes processing—wet waste is converted into biogas, which is then used to generate electricity, while dry waste is sorted for recycling. Since its inception,..

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?