Kolkata: 28 stations under the Eastern Railway (ER) have been selected for redevelopment under the ‘Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.’ The foundation stone for the same will be laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Under ER, there are four divisions – Sealdah, Howrah, Asansol and Malda. Eight stations, including Bangaon Junction, Barasat, Dum Dum Junction, Gede, Kalyani, Madhyamgram, Naihati Junction and Sonarpur Junction under Sealdah Division will be redeveloped with the total project cost of Rs 121.47 crore for which foundation stone will be laid on February 26.
Similarly, stations under Howrah Division, including Bally, Chandannagar, Dankuni, Khagraghat Road and Sainthia Junction will be redeveloped with the project cost of Rs 78.14 crore. The project cost for Asansol Division for seven stations is Rs 93.71 crore.
While for seven stations under Malda Division Rs 104 crore is allocated. The redevelopment plan includes separate arrival and departure buildings and disabled friendly amenities as well as eco-friendly systems like rain water harvesting, amongst others. The redevelopment plan of Dum Dum station includes expansion of platform facilities and improvement of passenger amenities. Total Rs 7.98 crore will be allocated for the redevelopment project there.
For Chandannagar station Rs 18.34 crore has been allocated, while for Bally station it is Rs. 27.26 crore. Under the Amrit Bharat station scheme, Rs 15 crore has been allocated for Panagarh station, Rs 7.85 crore for Naihati station, Rs 28.83 crore for Barasat station and Rs 8.10 crore for Sonarpur station.
The plan encompasses a blend of modernity with heritage, ensuring that each station reflects contemporary technology while honouring the local culture and heritage of the region. The redeveloped stations will feature state-of-the-art facilities including green building elements, proper ventilation, access control gates and other passenger amenities.