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Lok Sabha
Minister of State for Railways Shri R.Velu in written reply to a question by Shri Kashiram Rana and Shri Tukaram Ganpatrao Renge Patil in Lok Sabha today said that allotment of bookstalls at railway stations will be done to the successful tenders through two packet open tender system based on competitive bidding at A, B, and C category stations. Similarly, allotment of bookstalls at D, E, and F category stations will be done an expiry of existing contracts and at new locations as per latest Bookstall policy by inviting applications through press notification. The major bookstall chains are eligible for consideration for ‘A’ category stations only and not for lower category stations. Allotment of bookstall licenses to philanthropic and social institutions will be made on application and as per requirement of the railways. There is 25% reservation in various categories in the allotment of new bookstalls at ‘B’, ‘C’,’D’, ‘E’ and ‘F’ category stations.
However, the said bookstall Policy has been recently quashed by Hon’ble High Court of Allahabad in which Hon’ble Court has ordered to consider renewal of the petitioner’s licenses (M/S A.H. Wheeler & Co.) on the terms of Bookstall policy 2004 dated 11.06.2004. The said order has been challenged by Indian Railways in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India by filing Special Leave Petition (SLP). Further, zonal railways have been advised to hold up the allotment of bookstalls as per the Bookstall Policy 2004 dated 12.10.2004 and to maintain a status quo till final judgment of Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter.
Allotment of such licences are for a specific period of five years. As per Bookstall Policy 2004, there will be no renewal of existing bookstalls licences.
BSC/HK/TR-114/05
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