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.

WESTERN RAILWAY ACHIEVES THE HIGHEST EVER FREIGHT LOADING IN 2021-22 CREATING A NEW MILESTONE

WR achieves freight loading of 87.91 MT; 8.9% more than last year

Unhindered supply chain of essential goods during COVID-19

Western Railway's goods & parcel special trains have been traversing across the country to keep the supply of essential commodities moving, even during the difficult time of the COVID pandemic. Through sustained efforts, WR has achieved freight loading of 87.91% in financial year 2021-22 which is 8.9% more than last year of 80.71 MT.  This achievement has also broken the 7 year old record set in 2014-15 of 87.29 MT. Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti – General Manager of Western & Central Railway congratulated team WR o­n achieving this feat.

According to a press release issued by Shri Sumit Thakur – Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, turning crisis into opportunity, Western Railway has significantly increased its loading in Coal, Cement, Salt, Auto rakes, Container and Iron & Steel segments. During FY 2021-22 Western Railway has achieved its best-ever loading in Container (25.13.MT), Cement (14.61 MT), Iron & Steel (2.08 MT), Salt (7.41 MT) and Automobile (395 rakes).

Shri Thakur further stated that revenue from goods in FY 2021-22 is approx. Rs. 10858 Cr which is 8.22 % higher than last year. Western Railway also achieved the highest revenue from Container traffic of Rs. 2429.18 Cr – making it the highest o­n Indian Railways. In addition to this, Western Railway had its several firsts in FY 2021-22, such as Commissioning of the FirstGati Shakti Multimodal Cargo Terminalof M/s CONCOR served by Varnama (CGMV) of Vadodara Division o­n 29^thMarch 2022, Loading of Textiles for the first time in NMG rakes from Surat area, Leasing of Parcel Van in Rajdhani Express, etc. WR ran a total of 198 Kisan Rail Parcel Special trains fetching a revenue of Rs. 20.29 Cr for the transportation of o­nions, garlic, chikoo, raw bananas, etc. Western Railway also commissioned new goods shed in the FY 2021-22 at Dhoraji, Runija, Asarva, Kharirohar Road and Ranavav to boost freight traffic from these areas. In 2021-22 WR added new and additional traffic comprising 2829 rakes which have generated a revenue of Rs. 1030.64 Cr.

Shri Thakur also said that this increase in momentum has been possible due to various initiatives taken by WR to boost the freight traffic. Western Railway introduced various incentive schemes as per the directives of the Ministry of Railways to attract freight transporters in order to tie up with Railways for transportation of their goods & parcels. Additionally, Business Development Units (BDUs) have also been formed at the Headquarter level and over all Divisions for attracting new traffic and increasing the rail share in the existing stream of traffic. This has enabled in providing the best facilities to freight customers and also increased revenue.

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