The Minister of Railways, Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu has said that Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode will be implemented for allotting works to ensure participation of large professional players and minimizing cost and time overruns. While introducing the Railway Budget for 2016-17 in Parliament today, the Minister said that at least 20 projects in the next financial year will be taken up on this mode of contracting and all works above ₹ 300 crore will be awarded on this mode.

The Minister said that Indian Railways will seek services of private parties in non-operational areas such as cleaning, facility management etc. He also said technological solutions for project management and monitoring will also be taken up. The latest Drone and Geo Spatial based satellite technology will be used to monitor physical progress across major projects and also the progress on Dedicated Freight Corridor, he added.

EPC contracting promoted to streamline infrastructure procurement, enabling large professional participation and tech-based project monitoring. Implementation of EPC contracting is mandated for major railway works to attract large professional players and reduce cost and time overruns; at least twenty projects will use EPC in the next financial year and all works above Rs. 300 crore will be awarded under this mode. The programme further endorses private participation in non-operational services and adoption of technological project-management and monitoring tools including drone and geospatial satellite technology for tracking progress.