Seeking suggestions and comments from the public on the concept draft of the proposed Rail Development Authority of India, the Railways has uploaded it on its website.
Earlier known as Rail Tariff Authority, the nomenclature was changed to development authority making it a broad-based one covering more areas besides the key function of fixing tariff.
Since railways aims to attract private investment, the Authority will have responsibility of ensuring fair play and level playing field for private players in railways.
It will also define the efficiency and performance standards. Dissemination of information is another responsibility of the proposed authority.
The concept paper on the Rail Development authority of India has been uploaded on the www.indianrailways.gov.in , said a release.
Suggestions and comments from the public are to be submitted by January 30, 2016 through email at railwaydevelopmentauthority@gmail.com .
Prabhu in his speech for Rail Budget 2015-16 had said that for orderly development of infrastructure services, enabling competition and protection of customer interest, it is important to have a regulation mechanism independent of the service provider.
The concept paper has been prepared in line with the vision presented by Prabhu.
National Transport Development Policy Committee (NTDPC) Report of 2014 had recommended that a Rail Tariff Authority should be set up which should become the overall regulator.
Later Bibek Debroy Committee Report had also recommended a regulator with overarching functions.
Many of the countries like UK, Russia, US, Australia, Germany have regulatory structure in some form or the other.
The Authority will discharge functions in a manner to protect the interest of consumers, ensuring quality of service, promoting competition, encouraging market development, efficient allocation of resources, provide non-discriminatory open access specially on DFC and to benchmark service levels for ensuring quality, continuity and reliability of service.
The Authority can initially be set up through an executive order and can be subsequently strengthened through a legislation process.
The Authority will consist of Chairman and four other members who have experience and knowledge in railways, infrastructure, finance, law, management and consumer affairs.