The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme has been launched for the development of a total of 1,275 railway stations across the country. Well, around 14 stations in the country’s capital – Delhi will also be revamped, and Old Delhi Railway Station is also a part of the list. Efforts will be made to improve facilities at Old Delhi station under the Amrit Bharat station scheme. The main focus will be on improving station accessibility, providing free Wi-Fi and facilities like widening of roads for waiting rooms, systems, better information system lounge, passengers, executive lounge, removal of unwanted structures near the station, providing well Will be on the mend. Planned walkways and well planned parking areas.
Along with this, multi-level parking, state-of-the-art food court, gaming zone for children, air-conditioned waiting hall and escalators and CCTV cameras will be installed at the station.
As per the recent information provided by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), Delhi Junction will soon get a luxury sleeping pod facility. The sleeping pods will also have drinking water, a charging socket for mobile phones and electronic devices, a locker room, internet and a deluxe bathroom. In the coming days, New Delhi and Old Delhi Railways will be internally connected through a single route. After this, passengers will be able to reach from one station to another in 15 minutes.
Amrit Bharat Station Scheme
Uttar Pradesh tops the list with 149 stations under the scheme, while Maharashtra has 123 stations and Bihar has 86 stations for upgradation and redevelopment under the scheme.
Keeping in mind the major infrastructure construction projects to be taken up by the Indian Railways in the coming months, the government has allocated a record Rs 2.4 trillion for the railways in this year’s budget.
Officials said the Ministry of Railways has accelerated the reconstruction of important stations across the country to ensure that passengers get the best of facilities and comfort while traveling by train. The government believes that redevelopment of railway stations across the country will boost the economy by creating more jobs and promoting economic expansion.
The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme includes preparation of master plans for improving amenities at stations and their implementation in phases, such as improving station accessibility, circulating areas, waiting rooms, toilets, lifts and escalators, cleanliness, free Wi-Fi, Kiosks for local products through schemes like ‘One Station One Product’, better passenger information system, executive lounge, designated space for business meetings, landscaping etc.
The plan includes revamping of buildings, integrating the station with both sides of the city, multimodal integration, facilities for Divyangjan, sustainable and eco-friendly solution, provision of ballastless tracks, ‘roof plaza’ as per requirement, phasing and feasibility And construction has also been envisaged. City center at the station in the long term.
The plan also aims to relocate redundant or old buildings in a cost-efficient manner to release space for high-priority passenger-related activities and facilitate future development. Construction of new buildings should generally be avoided except when necessary for the purpose of improving circulation or relocation of structures or relocation of old structures to improve circulation or provision of structures to improve the size of the waiting rooms.
As far as some major railway stations are concerned, the Center had in September last year approved Rs 10,000 crore for the redevelopment of New Delhi, Ahmedabad and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus railway stations.
The Center had informed that it plans to redevelop 199 stations with a footfall of 50 lakh per day in the first phase. It was informed that the total cost of redevelopment of 199 stations including these three major stations is Rs 60,000 crore.
As per the plan, stations in these cities will be connected on both sides of the railway track. Facilities like food court, waiting lounge, children’s play area and space to sell local products will be provided.
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December last year after flagging off the Vande Bharat Express from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri, also launched four railway projects for West Bengal and New Jalpaiguri railway station on the lines of airports. Laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of ,
with agency inputs