Railway Stations पर Mall जैसा अनुभव! UP के Prayagraj, Ballia, Kanpur में आएंगे Premium Brands — Railway Board की 2 बड़ी Policies की पूरी जानकारी
जल्द ही आप Railway Station पर पहुंचेंगे और लगेगा जैसे किसी Mall में हैं! Indian Railways अपने Stations को अब केवल आने-जाने का साधन नहीं, बल्कि Modern City Centre बनाने की ओर कदम बढ़ा चुकी है। उत्तर प्रदेश में Ballia में North India का पहला Premium Branded Store शुरू हो चुका है। Prayagraj के Rambag Station पर जल्द Tender जारी होगा। Prayagraj Junction, Kanpur Central, Aligarh, Mirzapur जैसे बड़े Stations भी इस Plan में हैं। Railway Board ने 2 बड़ी Policies जारी की हैं — 11 August 2025 की Non-Food Premium Stores Policy और November 2025 की Premium Brand Catering Outlets Policy। McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, Haldiram's, Bikanerwala — ये सब अब Railway Platform पर आएंगे!
UP के किन Stations पर आएंगे Premium Stores?
| Station | Zone/Division | Status | Special Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🟢 Ballia | NER / Varanasi Div. | ✅ Started! North India First! | पहला Premium Branded Store — Reference Model |
| 🟡 Prayagraj Rambag | NER / Prayagraj Div. | 🔄 Tender Jaldi Jaarish Hoga | Prayagraj Mela Connect — High Footfall |
| 🟡 Prayagraj Junction | NCR / Prayagraj Div. | 🔄 Redevelopment + Premium Plan | ₹500+ Cr Redevelopment — Mall-Style Building |
| 🔵 Kanpur Central | NCR / Prayagraj Div. | 📋 Planning Stage | UP का सबसे Busy Station — Huge Commercial Potential |
| 🔵 Aligarh Junction | NCR / Prayagraj Div. | 📋 Planning Stage | AMU + Industrial City — High Footfall |
| 🔵 Mirzapur | NCR / Prayagraj Div. | 📋 Planning Stage | Vindhyachal Dham Pilgrimage Connect |
| 🟣 Prayag Station | NR / Prayagraj area | 📋 Feasibility Study | Northern Railway Zone — Separate Plan |
Railway Board Policy 1 — 11 August 2025: Non-Food Premium Branded Stores
- 📅 Date: 11 August 2025 — Railway Board Circular
- 🏢 Category: Non-Food / Non-Catering Premium Stores — Retail, Fashion, Electronics etc.
- ⚡ Authority: अब Divisions खुद E-Auction करके Premium Stores दे सकते हैं — Railway Board की अनुमति हर बार नहीं लेनी
- 🌐 E-Auction Process: IREPS Portal पर Online — देश के किसी भी हिस्से से Bidding Possible
- 💰 Financial Criteria: ₹40 Lakh तक Annual Contract के लिए कोई Turnover Requirement नहीं
- 🏗️ PPP Model: Private Firm अपने खर्च पर Store बनाती है — Railway पर Zero Financial Burden
- ⏰ Auction Time: Minimum 30 Minutes — Fair Bidding के लिए
- 🔒 Transparency: Bidders की Identity Hidden — Cartel Break होगा
- 📊 Asset Mapping: Portal पर सभी Available Spaces Map — Real-Time Monitoring
Railway Board Policy 2 — November 2025: Premium Brand Catering Outlets
2017 Catering Policy में Amendment:
- 🍔 New Category Added: "Premium Brand Catering Outlet" — Station पर Catering का 4th Type
- 📋 पुरानी Categories (3): Tea Stalls | Milk Bars | Juice Bars
- ✅ नई Category (4th): Premium Brand Catering Outlet — Full-Fledged Branded Restaurant
- 🏪 Eligible Brands: McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, Baskin-Robbins, Haldiram's, Bikanerwala — और अन्य Recognized Single-Brand Chains
- 🔄 Allotment: E-Auction से — Nomination से नहीं
- 📅 License Period: 5 साल
- 🏢 Model: Company-Owned या Franchise Partner — दोनों Allowed
- 📏 Criteria: जहाँ Footfall Adequate हो और Existing Layout Disrupt न हो
- ⚠️ Reservation Policy Unchanged: SC/ST/OBC/Freedom Fighter Quotas पर कोई असर नहीं
Stations को "City Centre" क्यों बनाया जा रहा है?
- 📈 Non-Fare Revenue Gap: FY 2023-24: ₹588 Crore | FY 2024-25: ₹686 Crore — Total Income का सिर्फ 3%! बहुत कम!
- 🎯 Target: Non-Fare Revenue को 3% से 8-10% तक ले जाना — Branded Stores Key Lever
- 🏗️ 1,200+ Station Redevelopment: Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad जैसे Stations पर बड़े Commercial Zones बन रहे हैं
- 👥 Daily Footfall: रोज़ 2.3 Crore+ Passengers — Captive Audience, Huge Retail Potential
- ✈️ Airport Model: Airport Terminals जैसा Commercial Model — Duty-Free, Premium Food, Luxury Brands
- 💡 Zero Cost: PPP Model में Private Firm सब Build करती है — Railway को सिर्फ Revenue Share मिलता है
Prayagraj Junction Redevelopment — Mall जैसी Building!
- 🏛️ Prayagraj Junction — North Central Railway (NCR) का प्रमुख Station
- 💰 Redevelopment Budget: ₹500+ Crore
- 🏗️ New Building: Shopping Mall जैसी Modern Building — Multi-Level, Wide Concourse
- 🛍️ Commercial Zone: देश-विदेश के Branded Stores के लिए Dedicated Retail Space
- 🙏 Prayagraj Advantage: Kumbh + Magh Mela + Mahakumbh — करोड़ों Pilgrims = Huge Footfall
- 📅 Timeline: Redevelopment Complete होने के बाद Premium Stores Operational
- 🗣️ PRO Quote: Prayagraj Division PRO Amit Kumar Singh — "Railway Stations को City Centre के रूप में विकसित किया जा रहा है"
Ballia — North India का पहला Premium Store: क्या सीखा?
- 🏆 Historic: Ballia Station पर North India का पहला Railway Premium Branded Store शुरू
- 📍 Zone: North Eastern Railway (NER), Varanasi Division
- 💡 Reference Model: Ballia की सफलता के बाद ही Prayagraj और अन्य Stations का Plan बना
- 🏗️ PPP Success: Private Firm ने खुद Build किया — NER को Revenue मिली, Railway पर खर्च नहीं
- 📈 Lesson: Small City Station पर भी Premium Store Viable है — Footfall + Aspirational Buyers
- 🎯 Expansion: Ballia Model → Prayagraj Rambag → Prayagraj Jn → Kanpur → Pan UP → Pan India
Yात्रियों को क्या-क्या मिलेगा?
| Category | आज (Station पर) | Future (Premium Stores के बाद) |
|---|---|---|
| 🍕 Food | Samosa, Chai, Packaged Snacks | McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, Haldiram's |
| 👕 Clothing | Limited Bookstalls | Premium Fashion Brands, Sports Wear |
| 📱 Electronics | Phone Charger Stalls | Branded Electronics Accessories |
| 💄 Beauty/Personal Care | Nothing | Branded Cosmetics, Pharmacy |
| ☕ Cafe | Chai Tapri | Café Coffee Day, Starbucks (Future) |
| 📚 Books/Travel | WH Smith (Some Stations) | Full Branded Book + Travel Stores |
किन Stations पर पहले आएंगे Premium Stores? — Pan India Priority
- 🥇 Category A1 Stations: Mumbai CST, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune — Redevelopment Complete होते ही
- 🥈 High Footfall Stations: Prayagraj, Kanpur, Lucknow, Varanasi, Patna, Bhopal, Jaipur — 2025-26
- 🥉 Pilgrim/Tourist Stations: Ayodhya, Mathura, Haridwar, Tirupati, Puri — High Seasonal Demand
- 🏆 Already Started: Ballia (NER), और कुछ Pilot Stations पर E-Auction Complete