No plan for privatisation of freight corridors: Piyush Goyal

• The minister said that as per the current mandate and scheme, Indian Railways will be the sole operator of Freight trains on Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC) network

• Only privately-owned wagons/freight trains will operate on the Railways' network, said Goyal

New Delhi: Union Minister for Railways Piyush Goyal said on Monday that the government has no plans for privatisation of freight corridors. In a written response in the Lok Sabha, the minister said that as per the current mandate and scheme, Indian Railways will be the sole operator of Freight trains on Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC) network. "The privately owned wagons/freight trains which are currently being operated on Indian Railways, will run on DFCs also. There is no plan for privatisation of freight corridors," Goyal told the Parliament.

Also read: Govt has set ball rolling on asset monetisation; these PSUs are on the list: Sources

However, PSU Watch had earlier reported, quoting sources, that the government has started the process for asset monetisation of PSUs. And the list of PSUs shared by sources where they claimed that the government has been keen on asset monetisation included Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL). 

Railways to seek Rs 30,000 crore investment from private players: Niti Aayog CEO

The Railways has been preparing to bring in private players to operate trains on chosen routes. Goyal's statement comes just days after Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said at a press conference that the Railways is seeking an investment of Rs 30,000 crore in the next five years by inviting private players to run passenger trains on Railways' existing networks and redevelop railway stations around the country. 

"It is like when private banks were set up in India. So many private players came in the banking sector. But that didn't lead SBI to shut. Private investment will bring in newer technologies. It will create competition in the railway sector. Competition will increase efficiency and reduce fare — in the long run," Kant said.

(PSU Watch– India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy is now on Telegram. Join PSU Watch Channel in your Telegram and stay updated)