Railway Board member Vishwesh Chaube said that start-up companies will also be allowed to participate in railway projects.

Addressing a webinar on 'Business Continuity Plan for Railway Sector and Path to Recovery Post COVID-19', organised by FICCI, Chaube said, "We have allowed the start-up companies to tender in the railway contracts with no earnest money being submitted by them and with no eligibility criteria also."

Highlighting the impact of COVID-19, Mr Chaube said that soon all zonal offices and railway board will work on e-office concept. "Railway board is also shifting to e-office concept and by June all zonal offices will shift to e-office concept," he added.

Chaube also emphasized that COVID-19 might impact the short-term goals, but Indian Railways is bullish on infrastructure projects and will achieve long term goals.

He also said that Indian railways is already in the process of redeveloping stations, and 62 stations are being taken up on PPP mode including New Delhi, Mumbai Central stations. "Rs 10,000 crore will be spent in the redevelopment of the stations. Railways is geared up to complete them," said Mr Chaube.

Pradeep Kumar, Member (Signal & Telecom), Railway Board, Ministry of Railways said that Indian railways will promote Make in India and focus on indigenous products.

"Indian railways is determined to encourage the use of indigenous signalling system following the footstep of Hon'ble PM's Atmanirbhar Bharat," added Mr Kumar.

He also stressed upon the need that Indian railways will find new ways to not only improve passenger convenience but also reduce logistic cost. "The main focus of Indian railways will be to reduce the logistic cost to 8% from current 13% by improving asset utilizations and using multimodal transportation."

Arunendra Kumar, Adviser, FICCI National Committee on Transport Infrastructure and Former Chairman Railway Board and President (Rail and Urban Transportation) JBM Group said that Indian railways has not only met but exceeded the country's expectation.

"The interaction is an eye opener for the industry as it has highlighted many steps taken by Indian railways to promote the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat," he said.

Sandeep Selot, Co-Chairman, FICCI National Committee on Transport Infrastructure and Managing Director, GE Diesel Locomotives Pvt Ltd said that Indian railways has played a pivotal role during these unprecedented times by leveraging its resource mobilization, capabilities, agility to cater to the completely new requirements.