Land given to Railways for commercial sites still undeveloped: Paarl Panel
The Public Accounts Committee of the Lok Sabha has found in its report that the Railway Land Development Authority (RLDA) failed in its objective of developing railway land sites for commercial use due to various reasons. In the report presented in the Lok Sabha, the committee said it reviewed 17 of the 49 sites handed over to RLDA by the Indian Railways in 2007 and noted that none of them had been developed as of 2017. It said that out of 49 sites, only 40 were commercially viable.
The committee headed by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury selected the theme ‘Development of Railway Land for Commercial Use by the Railway Land Development Authority’, based on the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) tabled in the Lok Sabha on July 20. 2018.
According to the report, Indian Railways has 43,000 hectares of vacant land, out of which it had handed over 49 sites to RLDA from 2007 to 2017 for commercial development to generate revenue. “The committee noted that the audit reviewed the development of 17 sites that were assigned when the RLDA was formed in 2007 and found that none of these sites had been developed,” the report said. ‘
`Audit findings revealed that there were delays in appointment of consultants, submission of reports by consultants, lapses in obtaining permission from State Governments for changes in land use plan, handing over of land to RLDA by the concerned Zonal Railways. Identification of sites with wrong land, wrong site or incomplete documents etc. as a result of which these sites amounting to 166.996 acres could not be developed.”
The committee also found that since inception, RLDA spent Rs 102.29 crore on establishment, consultancy fees, advertising etc. from 2006-07 to 2016-17, but earned only Rs 67.97 crore from the development of multi-functional vehicles. Complexes (MFC) at Railway Stations, which did not form part of the income from commercial development of the handed over land.
The committee said in its report that after looking into the development status of these 17 sites, it was found that only three sites were handed over for development, seven sites were handed over and the handing over of the remaining seven sites was delayed due to various reasons. Was delayed by. Such as case pending in court, evaluation by consultants, expiry of LOA (Letter of Administration) etc.
`The Committee, while observing that Railway Board has issued instructions to all General Managers to ensure ownership of Railway land parcels in the name of Railways and to make the land encroachment/encroachment free before handing over to RLDA, the Committee is aware of the reasons for D-D. Recommends to do. Status of handing over seven sites and handing over the remaining seven sites to RLDA, the report said.
“The Committee also wishes to be apprised of the status of 40 sites that were found commercially viable as on March 31, 2017,” it said.
The committee also noted several other inactions on the part of the RLDA in the report, such as appointing consultants to ascertain the financial valuation of the land and identify potential uses of the land to provide maximum revenue and not preparing a development plan. delay.
It also said that since the railway land was being demarcated as ‘public and semi-public area’ in the revenue records, it would be converted into ‘commercial area’ by obtaining permission from the concerned state government through land conversion. There was a need to change. (CLU) which RLDA did not.
`…The Committee is of the view that since land is a State subject under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, the development of surplus railway land in the States/UTs should be in line with their Master Plans and, therefore, the RLDA could work. Explore the option of sharing revenues accordingly with other states to help speed up projects, the report said.
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