Pune, August 11, 2023: In a bid to provide greater convenience to passengers, the Pune division of the Central Railway is gearing up to install 9 new Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) across strategic railway stations. This effort includes placing 3 ATMs in Pune, and one each in Chinchwad, Kolhapur, Miraj, Akurdi, Talegaon, and Pimpri. The selection process for these locations will be executed through an innovative online platform known as E-AUCTION.
E-AUCTION, an online bidding mechanism, has revolutionized the way Indian Railways awards contracts and tenders. Through this digital platform, participants engage in open bidding for various contracts, with the entire process typically taking only 30 minutes to an hour. The highest bidder is promptly awarded the tender online, and the allocation letter is issued on the same day. This modernized approach has replaced the previous manual and E-tendering methods, which used to take around 30 to 45 days for finalizing tenders. The adoption of E-AUCTION has streamlined the process, resulting in expedited tender finalizations.
The implementation of E-AUCTION has not only saved valuable time for both contractors and the railways but has also contributed to increased revenue generation for the railway sector.
As part of this innovative strategy, the Pune Division successfully conducted an E-AUCTION for earning contracts related to the installation and management of 9 ATMs across 7 railway stations. These contracts involve contractors paying an annual license fee to the railways. The details of the stations and their corresponding annual fees are as follows:
- Talegaon: Rs. 50,000/-
- Pimpri: Rs. 50,000/-
- Akurdi: Rs. 50,000/-
- Miraj: Rs. 50,000/-
- Kolhapur: Rs. 60,000/-
- Chinchwad: Rs. 50,000/-
- Pune: Rs. 2,25,000/- (for 3 ATM machines)
This forward-thinking initiative is expected to generate significant revenue of Rs. 30.15 lakh for the railways over the 5-year contract period. It’s a testament to the railways’ commitment to leveraging technology for enhancing passenger convenience and generating revenue simultaneously.
