RLDA to Develop A Railway Land Parcel Into A Tourism and Water Sports Hub

The Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) is set to undertake and develop a large railway land parcel called Salt Golah at Howrah, West Bengal into a riverfront luxury tourism and water sports hub, a statement from the company said. Spanning across an area of 89,032m2, the Salt Golah site consists of some old salt godowns and administrative offices in a highly dilapidated condition. It is located on a 20-metre-wide road along the Hooghly riverbank and is 1.5 kilometres away from Howrah station.

“The river-front location of Salt Golah in Kolkata, which used to be the offices and residence of the Salt Commissioner during British times, although a wondrous site, is presently full of dilapidated buildings. RLDA plans to create a multitude of possibilities of modern tourism. The 15 metre wide strip can be utilized for developing water sports. Also, the riverfront can be used for commercial ferrying activities. The development will not only put the land to better use but also boost tourism, , create jobs and enhance prospects of investment in the region,” said Ved Parkash Dudeja, VC, RLDA.

RLDA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Railways for the development of vacant Railway land for commercial use in line with the objective to generate revenue by non-tariff measures.RLDA is a statutory body under the Ministry of Railways for the development of vacant Railway land for commercial use in line with the objective to generate revenue by non-tariff measures. RLDA invited online bids for engaging marketing and financial consultants for the commercial development of railway land at Salt Golah, Howrah. The consultant shall be required to carry out valuation for different lease periods ranging from 30-99 years and NPV at different rates of discount to arrive at the optimum valuation, the statement added.

The consultant will develop a financial model for the project, market the project and assist RLDA in managing the bidding process for the development of the project and the selection of the suitable developer to realize the objective. Currently, the Indian Railway has approximately 43,000 hectares of vacant land across India. RLDA has over 70 sites across India for leasing and the eligible winners for each will be selected through a bid process.

Source: Constructionweekonline
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