Bengaluru: The Indian Railways is looking to allow commercial use of its sports complexes across the country. This will only give a boost to accessibility to such quality complexes all over the country. 

In this regard, it has asked the Railway Land Development Authority to do a feasibility check. 

As quoted by Indian Express, RLDA vice-chairman VP Dudeja said, “These are going to remain sporting facilities. We are assessing if they can be upgraded with more facilities for players and open them up for use by private parties also for commercial use”. 

“It is too early to say what kind of model will emerge for commercial development. We will appoint a consultant to carry out the studies and then submit a report first,” Dudeja added. 

“There are complexes lacking upgraded facilities for players and there are stadiums where space and scope both seem available for more upgrade. Private parties may also like to use these facilities for sporting purposes when Railways is not using them. So we will see only after assessing them,” he noted.

So what are the complexes the Railways would like to monetise? 

The website adds that on the list are sports complexes at production units in Modern Coach Factory, Raebareli; Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala; Rail Wheel Factory, Yelahanka, Bengaluru; Banaras Locomotive Works (formerly DLW), Varanasi; and Integral Coach Factory, Chennai. All these production units have townships of their own and the sporting complexes are part of them.