Bidder located anywhere in India need to registeronly o­nce for participating in auctions of any field unitof Indian Railways through the portal

During last o­ne month Pilot, 80 earning contractswere finalized collectively fetching 128 Cr to theRailways

Standardization of eligibility conditions pan-India

Indian Railways has taken steps to bring Commercial Earning and Non-Fare Revenue contracts under theambitofelectronicauctionthroughIndianRailwaye-ProcurementSystem(IREPS),inlinewithprevailing e-auction of scrap sale. Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw launched e-auction for Commercial earning,Non-Fare Revenue (NFR) contracts in Rail Bhavan today. This will not o­nly increase Railways earning butalsobolster effortsbeing takenby theGovernmentfor easeof doingbusiness.

Speaking o­n this occasion, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “This policy is in line with the vision of Hon’blePrime Minister to change the experience of common man by the use of technology. With this new policy,tedious process of tendering would get simplified. Also, it would give opportunities for youth to join the e-auction process. This policy enhances ease of living, promotes transparency and adds to Digital IndiainitiativesinRailways.”

Earning Assets: Parcel Van, Pay & Use Toilets, Advertisement rights o­n station circulating area andcoaches,ACwaitingrooms,Cloakrooms,Parkinglots,PlasticBottlecrushers,ATMs,Stationco-branding, Video screens for content o­n demand etc. These assets will be mapped location-wise in the portalonce,andthesystemwillrememberforeverifitiscoveredforearningornot.Thiswillimprovemonitoringofassetsonreal timebasisandwillminimizeasset-idling.

Present System: Participation in present e-tendering requires physical registration with the concerned fieldunit.ThismakesdifficultforpotentialbiddersfromtherestofIndiatocompete.Ittakestimeinfinalizationduetorequirementof physicalmeetingoftendercommitteemembers.

E-Auction: Bidder located anywhere in India need to self register o­nce for participating in auctions of anyfield unit of Indian Railways through the portal. Remotely bid can be placed for management rights of anasset after depositing earnest money (EMD) electronically. Successful bidder would be able to receiveacceptance o­nline and through e-mail in very short span of time. Except requirement of financial turnover,as such all the eligibility criterions have been removed. Further, financial requirement has been relaxed tothegreatextant.ThereisnofinancialturnoverrequirementforannualcontractsuptoRs.40lacs

Pilot Run: Pilot was launched in 11 Divisions of 9 Zones: total 80 contracts of total value of 128 Croreswerefinalised during thepilot launch.

SuccessStoriesduringPilotRun:

1.Ahmedabad Division had conducted e-Auction for 2 lots Gandhidham Junction &Himmatnagar(GIMB and HMT) of Parking o­n 04th June 2022. For Gandhidham Junction (GIMB) 24 bids werereceived with the highest o­ne being ₹ 12,60,000 (Per Annum)which is 38% above ConventionalBidding Price. For HMT 26 Bidswere received with the highest o­ne being ₹ 62,500 (Per Annum)whichis72% abovepriceof conventionalbidding.

2.On 06.06.22, e-auction was conducted for Mixed Parking near Gorakhpur Airport, in which highest bidof Rs. 8,47,458 was received against estimate of Rs. 5,31,000 which is 59.60% higher than the price ofconventionalbidding.

3.Parkingsite–AnandViharTerminal,ContractPeriod-3year,TotalBidsReceived-74,OfferPriceper

annum-75lakh.Totalearning-Total2.25Cr.Offerreceivedwas127.33%higherthantheconventionalbidding price.

SalientFeaturesofNewSystem:

●TheAuction willbeconducted online through ‘E-Auction Leasing’ module ofIREPS:www.ireps.gov.in

●Policy for e-Auction and Standard Conditions of Auction issued by Railway Board: Earlier systemof physical registration of contractors Division-wise has been done away with,Only financialcriteria – based o­n self-declaration of past turnovers by contractorsFinancial turnover criteriarationalizedandstandardized–NoturnoverrequirementuptoRs.40lacsannualcontractestimatesOnetimeonlineself-registrationofcontractorsNogeographicalrestrictions forparticipationinanyauctionof anyDivision

●Allassetswillbefedinthesystemforbettermonitoringandensuringissuingcontractsinadvance

–reduceassetidling

●AuctioncatalogueswithalldetailsoftheassetswillbepublishedonlineonIREPSportal,minimum15 days inadvance

●Auctionswillbeconductedonline-bidderswillbeabletoparticipatefromanywhereinIndia

●Minimum 30 minutes will be given for auction so that all interested contractors can submit theirbids.

●AuctionofconsecutiveLotsinanycataloguewillbeclosedaftergapof10minutes

●In case any bid is received within last 2 minutes of auction closing time, then the closing time forthe lot will be extended automatically for 2 minutes. 10 such auto extensions will be permitted toensureadequatetimefor allbidderstosubmittheirbids.

●ReservePriceofthelotswillnotbedisclosedandthebidderswillbefreetoofferanybidaccordingtotruecommercialpotentialoftheassetsaspertheirassessment.

●Bidswillbeautodecided.

●IfHighestbid(H1)isequalorabovetheReservePricethenthecontractwillbefinalizedonthesameday afterauctionclosing.

●Bidsheetandcontractagreementwillbesigneddigitally.

●Paymentscheduleforthecontractwillbegeneratedimmediately.

●Allpaymentsbythecontractorwillbemadeonline

●Entireprocesswillbeonline&paperless

Benefits:

1.Onlinemodemakespotentialbiddersfromdistantlocationacrosscountrytoparticipateinthebiddingprocess.

2.OnlinepaymenttoRailwayspostawardofcontract.Tillnowprovisionofdailymanualpaymentinparcelleasingcontractisthere,whichisatediousprocess.Nowitismadeonline.

3.BetterMonitoring:Aftermapping,portalpromptswhenanearningcontractofaparticularassetisnearingcompletionandcompelstostartfreshauction,thusmakingidletimeoftheassetminimal.

4.Standardizationofeligibilityconditionspan-India.

5.Simplificationofprocesses.DrasticallyreducesthetimetakeninfinalizationofTendersandwillpreventrevenue losson thisaccount.

6.Quickre-awardofcontractincaseoffailureofanycontractor

7.Breaksthecartelamongbidders.Bidders’identitywillbemaskedfromeachotherandfromIR.

8.Willincreaserevenueearningbyfetchingtruecommercialpotentialofassetsduetohighercompetitionamongstbidders.

9.Willminimizeassets’idling,resultinginmaximizationofpotentialsfromtheassets.

10.Noeligibilitycriteriaupto40lacswillhelpinpromotingstart-ups.

N. F. Railway is concerned about the fact that every year many lives are lost while trying to cross the railway tracks at unauthorised locations. Since January 2021 up to 9^th May, 2022, almost 29 numbers of untoward incidents (dashing with road vehicles) have been recorded with loss of lives. As a part of its drive to ensure further safety, N. F. Railway (NFR) has already eliminated all unmanned level crossing gates. In addition to that, this railway is also putting in efforts to prohibit unauthorised crossing of railway tracks.

N. F. Railway has identified the vulnerable locations where run-over is taking place repeatedly and have taken measures to minimise it. Out of a total of identified 950 numbers of unauthorised crossing over N.F. Railway, 754 numbers have already been closed down, warning board have been erected at 919 locations and trenches have been provided at 181 locations. Awareness programmes are being conducted by N.F. Railway at schools, colleges, panchayats etc. to educate general public about avoiding crossing of railway tracks at unauthorised locations so as to avert fatal incidents.

Closing of unauthorised crossings is for the benefit of the general public & continued usage of such crossings by the public will eventually lead to fatal accidents as is evident from a recent incident. o­n 09^th May, 2022, two persons travelling in a private vehicle, while trying to cross the railway track at an unauthorised location collided with the Naharlagun- Tinsukia Intercity Express at Bordoloni area of Dhemaji district and lost their lives. Several attempts have been made by the Railway authorities to eliminate this particular unauthorised crossing but the public continued using this crossing which led to this horrific incident.

N. F. Railway discourages the unauthorised crossing and trespassing of railway premises (including railway tracks), and advice the public to follow Railway safety rules. Trespassing of railway premises at unauthorised places is a punishable offence and these measures are adopted as Railway cares for the safety and well-being of the general public.