Over 1300 railway stations to be modernised
New Delhi: In a significant announcement, Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw outlined the Central government’s primary aim to continuously develop railway stations with a long-term approach, focusing on improving amenities and integrating stations with city infrastructure.
The minister was responding to a starred question posed by Lok Sabha members Manish Jaiswal from Hazaribagh and Darshan Singh Choudhary from Hoshangabad.
Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, Vaishnaw informed the House that 1337 railway stations have been identified for redevelopment, including specific regions in Jharkhand, the Hoshangabad Lok Sabha Constituency in Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
The scheme focuses on several key areas to modernise railway stations, including the preparation and phased implementation of Master Plans to ensure systematic development. Enhancements will include better access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lifts/escalators, platform surfacing, cleanliness, free Wi-Fi, kiosks for local products, better passenger information systems, Executive Lounges, nominated spaces for business meetings, and landscaping.
The scheme also envisages the integration of stations with both sides of the city, multimodal integration, amenities for Divyangjans, sustainable and environment-friendly solutions, provision of ballastless tracks, and creation of city centres at the station in the long term. The central government has already commenced the redevelopment of stations under this scheme, with a focus on Jharkhand (57 stations), Hoshangabad Lok Sabha Constituency in Madhya Pradesh (80 stations), and Maharashtra (132 stations).
Aiming to enhance the passengers’ experience, the redeveloped stations are expected to offer significantly improved amenities and infrastructure, making travel more comfortable and convenient. Enhancements include better access, improved waiting areas, cleanliness, free Wi-Fi, and enhanced passenger information systems, among other features. These improvements are designed to provide a superior travel experience for passengers.
Vaishnaw also mentioned that to further improve passenger convenience, the incumbent government has revised the composition of Mail/Express trains. Each train of 22 coaches will now include 12 General class and Sleeper class non-AC coaches and 8 AC-Coaches. Additionally, more than 600 General Class coaches have been attached to Mail/Express trains operating with LHB coaches during the current financial year, including 25 in trains owned by the West Central Railway. The attachment of coaches is an ongoing process, subject to traffic justification, operational feasibility, and resource availability.
The budgetary allocation for the development and maintenance of stations is maintained Zonal Railway-wise under Plan Head-53 ‘Customer Amenities’. For the financial year 2024-25, the allocations are as follows: Jharkhand: Rs 1626 Crores (covered by Eastern Railway, East Central Railway, and South Eastern Railway), Maharashtra: Rs 4406 Crores (covered by Central Railway, South Central Railway, South East Central Railway, and Western Railway), and Madhya Pradesh: Rs 6339 Crores (covered by Central Railway, East Central Railway, North Central Railway, South Central Railway, South East Central Railway, Western Railway, and West Central Railway).
The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme represents a significant step towards modernizing India’s railway infrastructure. By focusing on continuous development, improved amenities, and sustainable solutions, the scheme aims to enhance the passenger experience and ensure efficient and comfortable travel.
