CHENNAI: It seems the grand vision of the Railways to bring in financial contribution from corporates, towards development of amenities at stations, is not going as per the plan. Although a year has passed since an expression of interest (EOI) was floated by Southern Railways (Chennai division) towards developing stations under its limits through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds, it has elicited a poor response.
Until now, only one such initiative is functioning — the refurbished restroom complex at Chennai Central, costing about `40 lakh and inaugurated in April this year. It was set up with funds earmarked by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, a public sector undertaking towards CSR activities.
Speaking to Express, a railway officer, on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the response has not been encouraging. “We were expecting private participation in all the stations within the divisional limits. But, apart from a proposal by an educational institute to fund a water cooler-cum-Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant in Minjur station, there has been nothing,” he said. Even that proposal has not become a reality, the official added.
However, the official expressed hope that things would change soon. “The EOI is open and doesn’t have a closing date. We are canvasing with several private players, including our freight clients,” he said.
In recent months, it was reported that Loyola College, a well-known educational institution, was inclined towards developing the Nungambakkam station, adjoining its campus. However, railway sources said nothing concrete has materialised so far.
“We handed over a list of facilities, like escalators, along with their indicative costs, but we haven’t heard from the Loyola administration since then,” a divisional railway official said.
The plan to tap into CSR funds was outlined by Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu in his railway budget speech this year, besides at a CII-organised event last month, when he said a separate ‘CSR cell’ was in the pipeline.