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The Indian Railways has entrusted the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) to redevelop additional 49 railway stations across the country, an official statement said on Tuesday.

The RLDA statement said that some of these stations are Amravati, Rajkot, Mathura, Agra Fort, Bikaner, Kurushetra, and Bhopal among others.

According to the RLDA, it is already developing 60 railway stations as part of the Smart Cities project of the Central government.

RLDA Vice Chairman Ved Parkash Dudeja said: "We look forward to the mandate. The station redevelopment is intrinsically linked to urban rejuvenation."

He said that the redevelopment of these stations will offer world-class amenities to passengers and enhance their travel experience. "It will also lead to a multiplier effect on the local economy to boost retail, real estate and tourism and generate employment opportunities. As a responsible organisation, RLDA is steadfastly committed to delivering these stations as per schedule to fulfil the aspirations of New India," he added.

The RLDA has recently successfully concluded a Request for Qualification (RFQ) for the Puri and Lucknow Railway Stations inviting bids from eligible developers to participate in the redevelopment process. It said that the projects have received an encouraging response from developers and investors.

It also said that for redevelopment of the Dehradun, Nellore, Tirupati, Puducherry, Ernakulum, and New Delhi Railway Station, RFQ have been finalised and RFPs will be issued shortly. "These station projects will be redeveloped under PPP model," it added.

Railways has approximately 43,000 hectares of vacant land across India. RLDA is currently handling 84 railway colony redevelopment projects and has recently leased out three railway