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The Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) of India has issued a request for proposal to lease a 34,517 sqm tract of railway land within the Yeshwantpur railway colony in Bengaluru for 99 years to enable a private residential development. Under the proposed arrangement, the selected developer will both construct new apartments for sale and undertake the redevelopment of existing staff quarters 316 units currently used by South Western Railway personnel which will remain reserved for railway staff. The project, with an estimated cost of INR 119 crore, will generate lease revenue shared between RLDA and the developer. E-bids must be submitted by 18 March. The initiative, presented as revenue generation, has attracted debate on optimal use of railway land against broader infrastructure needs.
The Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) this week issued an open bidding invitation to lease a parcel of land within Yeshwantpur railway colony for 99 years, aiming to develop a residential apartment project while redeveloping existing housing for railway staff, according to documents released on 24 February. Advertisement
The land, measuring 34,517 square metres and located within the operational area of the South Western Railway's Bengaluru division, has been earmarked for a mixed scheme in which a private developer will deliver new residential apartments for the market and simultaneously upgrade the 316 existing railway staff quarters. The redevelopment of staff quarters will be restricted to railway personnel occupancy once completed.
The estimated project cost is INR 119 crore, with lease premium and future revenues to be shared between the developer and RLDA under the terms set out in the request for proposal. Potential bidders have been given a deadline of 18 March to submit e-bids for the lease contract.
RLDA, a statutory authority under the Ministry of Railways, has increasingly leveraged long-term lease models to monetise surplus railway land across the country. In this model, developers secure leasehold rights for periods typically extending up to 99 years, enabling residential or mixed-use projects while the underlying land ownership remains with the railways.
The Yeshwantpur proposal reflects that strategy but has drawn commentary from some industry observers who question whether residential development represents the best use of strategically located railway land in a growing metropolis such as Bengaluru. According to a railway expert cited in related coverage, alternative uses such as additional rail infrastructure, including loop lines or locomotive facilities, could better serve operational needs and address network congestion.
In tandem with the residential land lease announcement, public notices have been issued regarding ancillary works at Bengaluru's rail network. The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has notified plans to fell 169 trees around Sir M Visveswaraya Terminal (SMVT) in Byappanahalli to facilitate laying of a sick line a dedicated track for maintenance and overhauls at an estimated cost of **INR 68 crore. The public has been given a ten-day window to submit objections or comments to the relevant forest and tree officer.
The bid for Yeshwantpur's lease follows a series of RLDA land monetisation initiatives in major Indian cities where railway land parcels have been opened for commercial and residential development, aligning with the railways broader goal of unlocking non-tariff revenue sources while addressing the need to modernise railway infrastructure.
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