Railway Planning & Investment Organisation to Be Set-up Indian Railway to Develop National Rail Plan-2030

The Minister of Railways, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu while presenting the Railway Budget 2016-17 in Parliament today announced the Sashaktikaran – Improving our planning practices. Shri Prabhu announced Railway Planning & Investment Organisation with funds available for developing and revitalizing the existing infrastructure, it is most pertinent that they are invested in the most efficient and transparent manner. Indian Railway intend to set up a Railway Planning & Investment Organisation for drafting our medium (5 years) and long (10 years) term corporate plans and based thereupon, identify projects which fulfill the corporate goal. The Organisation will independently conduct market intelligence and support preparation of feasibility studies or Detailed Project Reports based on standard methodology and assumptions. Further, the Organisation would propose innovative financing mechanisms for identified projects.

Railway Minister also announced the National Rail Plan in order to provide long-term perspective to planning for augmenting the railway network, Railway Minister said that Indian Railways have decided to develop ‘National Rail Plan’ (NRP-2030) in consultation with all the stakeholders including State Governments, public representatives and other relevant Central Ministries. NRP-2030 will endeavour to harmonise and integrate the rail network with other modes of transport and create synergy for achieving seamless multi-modal transportation network across the country. This will also achieve the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of integrated planning and cost optimization of the transportation network by laying the new railway lines and new highways together in tunnels and over mega-bridges.