Railways launches online vendor registration system

New Delhi, Jan 9 : In a bid to bring transparency, the Railways on Tuesday said that it has launched an online vendor registration system that will allow small and medium enterprises to become railway vendors.

“In line with the philosophy of the government to make systems and procedures digital and transparent, the railways has launched new online vender registration system,” the Railway Ministry said in a statement.

The new online vendor registration system has been developed by Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), the research arm of the Railways which is headquartered in Lucknow.

According to the ministry, the move would benefit lakhs of new vendors who wish to do business with it.

The railways said that with the launch of the new online registration system, the vendor need not come to RDSO for any activity related to his case for registration, while the process of documents scrutiny and physical verification of the vendor’s facility has been made a parallel exercise.

“With the new online system implemented by the RDSO, the vendor can now deposit registration fee, submit documents, download technical drawings and specifications and interact with RDSO online,” it said.

The ministry also said that the vendors interested in developing products and new technologies for the sector can now register with the national transporter through the year.

According to railways, it is for the first time that the RDSO has also invited expressions of interest (EOI) for all the 600 plus items — such as automatic twist locks, components for diesel locomotives and anti-friction coatings — required by the sector and kept the window open with no timelines to enable wider participation.

IANS