New Delhi: The first set of 12 private trains in the country will start operations in 2023. Thereafter, 45 such trains will start in the next financial year. According to a railway official, all such 151 trains will start by 2027 as per their predetermined schedule. Railways have invited proposals to run 151 modern passenger trains on 109 paired routes across the country earlier this month to formally pursue its plan to allow private companies to operate passenger trains.
Regarding private trains, the Railways plan to run 12 such trains in 2022-23. After this, there are plans to start 45 trains in the year 2023-24, 50 in the year 2025-26 and 44 in the next financial year. In this way, a total of 151 trains will be started by FY 2026-27. In this regard, the Request for Qualification (RFQ) issued on 8 July is expected to be finalized by November and financial bids will be opened by March 2021. After this, bidders are expected to be selected by 31 April 2021.
