New Delhi railway station revamp: Fresh tender issued for project again

According to the Executive Director (Projects) of RLDA, Vivek Saxena, the land authority has consulted over a dozen central and state departments this time and has procured no objection certificates from them for the project. They have also decided to go ahead with an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract instead of a PPP to ease the qualms of potential commercial partners.

EPC contracts are a method of risk mitigation where a company undertakes the three main components of a project — engineering, procurement of material and construction — to ensure that it is held accountable for the project. The other party is then handed over the project, assured by the fact that all construction-related risk is shouldered by another party. Since a PPP has failed for the redevelopment project twice — once in 2002-03 and again in 2021 — the EPC was the most viable option.

The newly revamped station is set to be spread across 1.5 crore sqm, with a pedestrian boulevard connecting the station to Connaught Place. The project plans on earning back revenue through the commercial spaces that will be built on the premises.

The biggest concern being addressed by the project, Saxena said, is the congestion that the area faces currently. Squeezed between Ajmeri Gate and Paharganj, traffic bottlenecks around the station have long been a pain point for commuters.

The pre-bid meeting has been set for July 20 and bidding will end on July 29.

Long wait

The plan had been proposed once in 2002-03 but could not garner enough funds. Since it was designed to be a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project, private players could not evaluate how to make returns for the large sum that it demanded. There was also a lack of space in the area that could be leased out to private players for commercial purposes.

It was again broached in 2008-09 after the RLDA was formed but ran into administrative issues from state departments at the planning stage. The state government had also shared concerns with the statutory body regarding traffic and land allocation.

According to the new plans, the station is designed to be multimodal and transit-friendly. The aim is to connect the railway station to the airport and the rest of the city seamlessly. The station currently sees a daily footfall of almost 5 lakh people.

The refurbished station will have a roof plaza which will have a shopping area and a food court where people can rest and wait for their trains. The platforms will be used only when passengers alight or de-board trains.

The railway station is already connected to the Delhi Metro, with the New Delhi station opening at the Ajmeri Gate entrance. The metro station has a direct connection with the Airport Metro Line. Work will be done in phases, with parts of the station being closed off for four months at a time.