Billed as India’s first “world class” railway station, which will provide passengers with facilities similar to airports, Habibganj railway station in Bhopal to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 November. The state-of-the-art railway station has been revamped in PPP mode at a cost of Rs 450 crore.
The railway station in the capital of Madhya Pradesh is the first railway station in the country to be built under private and public sector partnership. In 2018, the Indian Railways planned to convert around 400 A1 and A class stations into “world-class” facilities in 100 cities at a cost of Rs 1 lakh crore.
Habibganj railway station was the first in line with the station being developed on the model of Heidelberg railway station in Germany. Railway officials said that initially the deadline for the redevelopment project was fixed as December 31, 2020, but the project was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions.
Bhopal Divisional DRM Saurabh Bandopadhyay told News18 that Habibganj railway station will provide facilities similar to those available at airports. He said that the passengers would not have to get stuck in the crowd and they would be able to reach their train berths easily.
The official also said that people alighting from trains will use two different routes to exit. In addition, escalators and lifts have been installed for the convenience of the passengers.
The railway station will have huge entertainment screens while around 700 passengers wait for their trains on the premises.
Ticket counters for passengers have been modernized and there are food courts built inside the premises. In addition, air-conditioned waiting rooms, retiring rooms, dormitories and VIP lounges have also been added.
The security of passengers and railway employees will be monitored through 159 CCTV cameras. In case of any fire incident, the station has facility for safe passage of passengers. Most of the facilities will be solar powered.
PM to attend ‘Tribal Pride Day’
Prime Minister Modi will also address the Tribal Pride Day to be organized on the birth anniversary of tribal leader Birsa Munda in Bhopal in honor of the valor and sacrifice of tribal leaders during his visit to MP on November 15.
In view of the assembly elections due in 2023, it is being seen as an important part of BJP’s tribal outreach programme. In the 2018 assembly elections, there was a decline in seats in tribal areas. This event will be held at Jamboori Maidan in Bhopal and BJP is planning to gather two lakh tribals for this event.
On this occasion, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan can also announce the decision to hand over the rights of management of community forests to gram sabhas. The Money Lending Act for Tribal Areas can be announced on this occasion, and many more such schemes can be announced along with it.
Tribal voters hold importance for any party with around 21 per cent vote share in MP. The BJP is feeling upbeat after its recent victory in the Jobat bypoll, where the ruling party defeated the Congress in its own bastion.
Importance of ST seats in MP politics
In 2003, when a resurgent BJP ousted the Congress with a landslide victory, the saffron party won a total of 67 seats reserved for SC/STs, while the Congress won 15. However, a spirited Congress overthrew the BJP after 15 years in the crucial 2018 elections. In 2018, the BJP won only 18 SC seats and 16 ST seats, compared to 31 ST seats and 28 SC seats in the 2013 assembly elections. While the BJP defeated the Congress in the tribal stronghold Jobat in the recent by-elections, it suffered heavy losses in Raigaon, which has been an SC stronghold for 35 years.
(Inputs by Anurag Srivastava)
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