STATE TIMES NEWS
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay on August 6 the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 508 railway stations across the country via video conferencing, his office said said on Friday.
The entire Railways machinery is working to pull off this mammoth logistical exercises, slated to be the biggest foundation stone-laying exercises in one go.
These 508 stations are spread across 27 states and Union territories including 55 each in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, 49 in Bihar, 44 in Maharashtra, 37 in West Bengal, 34 in Madhya Pradesh, 32 in Assam, 25 in Odisha, 22 in Punjab, 21 each in Gujarat and Telangana, 20 in Jharkhand, 18 each in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, 15 in Haryana and 13 in Karnataka.
These also include stations in the northeast such as Assams Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Lumding, Meghalaya’s Mendipathar, among others. Bihar’s Muzaffarpur, Bapudham Motihari, as well as Shornur and Kasargod in Kerala are also in the list.
The redevelopment project, which will cost Rs 24,470 crore, will install modern passenger amenities apart from ensuring a well-designed traffic circulation, inter-modal integration and well-designed signage for the guidance of passengers, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said, adding the design of station buildings will be inspired by local culture, heritage and architecture.
Noting that prime minister has always said the railways is the preferred mode of transportation for people, the PMO underlines that he has prioritised the importance of providing world-class amenities at railway stations.
Guided by this vision, the ‘Amrit Bharat Station Scheme’ was launched to redevelop 1,309 stations, it said. As part of this scheme, the foundation stone for redevelopment of 508 stations is being laid by the prime minister.
“These stations will be redeveloped at a cost of more than Rs 24,470 crore. Master Plans are being prepared for development of these stations as ‘City Centres’, with proper integration of both sides of the city. This integrated approach is driven by the holistic vision of overall urban development of the city, centred around the railway station,” the PMO said.
Launched in December 2022, the Amrit Bharat station scheme aims to prepare a masterplan for railway stations and implement it in a phased manner to enhance facilities.
The facilities intended to be implemented at the stations include foot-overbridges, escalators and elevators, two-wheeler and car parking areas, landscaping/horticulture, integrated passenger information system, signages, improvement of platforms and platform shelters, benches and washbasins, better illumination and power supply arrangements, and CCTV, among others.
“Improving passenger amenities is a major focus of our government. Our prime minister is personally monitoring the progress of railways from time to time. He has given excellent inputs in the design of stations and he will be laying the foundation for 508 stations,” said Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Internally, the ministry has set a target of two years to complete the project, officials said.
The scheme envisages development of stations on a continuous basis with a long-term approach. The stations are slated to have upgraded amenities such as improved access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lift/escalators as necessary, free Wi-Fi, kiosks for local products through schemes such as One Station One Product’. Better passenger information systems, executive lounges, designated spaces for business meetings, landscaping, etc, are some of the other features being planned as part of the project.