Food van, parking contracts awarded via e-auction in Jammu Rail Division

In a major push towards Digital India and transparent governance, the Jammu Railway Division has stepped up efforts to modernise passenger amenities while boosting non-fare revenue. Embracing a fully digital e-auction system, the division has successfully awarded key commercial contracts across multiple stations, marking a shift from traditional tendering to a more transparent and inclusive process.

The latest round of e-auctions has not only opened doors for local entrepreneurs but also paved the way for improved passenger facilities, including modern catering services and organised parking infrastructure at key railway stations in the region.

Extending this series of initiatives, and under the leadership of the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu— Uchit Singhal—the Jammu Division successfully allocated contracts for the commercial utilization of its assets and the expansion of passenger facilities through a recently conducted e-auction, said a Railway spokesman on Wednesday.

During this e-auction process, key contracts were awarded for the railway stations of Pathankot, Gurdaspur, and Dinanagar, generating a total contract value of ₹25,77,319 for the Railways.

Under the category of modern catering facilities, a ‘Food Van’ contract was allocated for Pathankot Station with the objective of providing passengers with better and hygienic food options within the station premises. This contract was awarded at an annual license fee of ₹2,23,501. The total value of this contract over the upcoming five-year period has been fixed at ₹13,18,655.90.

To ensure the convenience of rail passengers and the safe parking of vehicles through well-organized parking systems, a joint auction was conducted for the parking lots at Gurdaspur and Dinanagar stations. The value of this successful bid stood at ₹3,55,555 per annum.

Over a contract tenure of three years, this arrangement is expected to yield a total value of ₹12,58,664.7.

Under the leadership of the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, the Jammu Division has moved beyond manual tendering processes and has fully embraced a 100% digital approach. The primary objective of this e-auction is to provide local entrepreneurs with a transparent opportunity to collaborate with the Railways and to make amenities even more accessible for passengers. The Railway administration is continuously working to enhance the passenger experience and maximize Non-Fare Revenue. This transparent system of e-auction not only offers a level playing field to contractors but also ensures revenue growth by eliminating the potential for corruption. Passengers will directly benefit from the food vans in Pathankot and the new parking arrangements in Gurdaspur-Dinanagar. Our goal is to provide similar modern amenities at all stations, both large and small, the spokesman added.