Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually lay the foundation stone for a ₹24,470 crore redevelopment project of 508 railway stations across the country, on Sunday.
“This is the first time in the world that a programme of laying the foundation stone of such a huge number of stations is being conducted,” a railway official said, adding that the project would be completed by 2025.
Rail minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “Development of these stations is a major focus of our government. Our PM is personally monitoring the progress of these railway stations. He has given inputs in designs of these stations and will be laying the foundation of these 508 stations.”
These stations, being redeveloped under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, 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.
The stations will have world-class facilities, even as they will also showcase the grandeur of India, its art and rich cultural heritage with a dash of local flavours of the region where they are situated.Lifts, escalators, concourses, waiting rooms and retail areas with modern facilities will be provided for the benefit of the passengers.
Also, appropriate arrangements would be made for the arrival/departure of passengers and vehicle parking.Smooth passage will be given at stations by removing unwanted structures, improved lighting, better circulating area, upgraded parking space, divyangjan friendly infrastructure, environmentally conducive building by use of green and renewable energy.
The standard elements of station design will have development of stations as ‘City Centres’ and integration of both sides of the city.
