Private players may run rail lines:

Private players may run rail lines:

Context

• The Union government is open to the idea of giving operations of railway lines to private players for enhancing competition.

What is the proposition?

• Doing so will allow to generate competition in the process and improve customer satisfaction.

Various models

• Mr. Goyal, the Railway Ministry is studying various models for attracting more private players.

What are the changes?

• Mr Goyal is willing to spend unlimited funds on safety, he said clearing the backlog for track renewal would be the focus, and a zero accident rate would be an aspiration.
• There is no budget for safety. Whatever fund is required we will spend,” Mr. Goyal said.
• Mr. Goyal is also re-tuning policy to attract private companies for modernizing railway stations.
• To begin with, the Railways have decided to do away with the ‘Swiss Challenge’ model of awarding railway stations to private players and taken a slew of measures to lease out at least 100 stations.