“Railways cater to the middle income, the lowest income and the middle class. We are creating the best facility with government investment. The best construction designs and techniques are used to ensure that every passenger and our common citizen get world class facilities. created with investment from the Indian government so that there are no additional burdens for passengers, “Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at a press conference. He also said that it is a conscious decision to upgrade all these stations in EPC (engineering, planning and construction) mode and the investment will be made from the government budget.
With the abandonment of the PPP section for the redevelopment of stations, this is the second privatization plan to be abandoned by the railways after having canceled the tender to allow private entities to run trains on selected routes.
Officials said the push to develop New Delhi and CST the stations in PPP mode have not achieved the desired result for over 15 years, prompting the Center to undertake the project on its own. At least 10 players each had shown initial interest in both stations, including the Adanis, GMR and Godrej properties.
Giving details of the proposed refurbishment, Vaishnaw said, the plans for all stations include the creation of spacious “rooftop squares” above the tracks and platforms with all passenger facilities in one place along with retail space. retail, cafes, recreational facilities and play areas for children. He added that these will be new “urban spaces” in the heart of cities. The minister said this will be the norm for the future renovation of railway stations.
According to the approved project, while New Delhi’s renovated railway station will have two unique twin domes with four floors of “roof squares” creating an additional space of approximately 15 acres, CST will have two-story rooftop squares and create additional space. approximately 5.5 acres. Vaishnaw said the plan’s goal was to ensure smooth traffic flow and maximum convenience for passengers at the stations.
In the case of the New Delhi station, the rooftop square will be 10 meters above the runway and there will be complete segregation of arrival and departure to avoid any crowding. Vaishnaw said there will be a network of elevated roads around the twin domes. He added that passengers will wait in the rooftop plaza area and will come to the platform only to board a train and likewise, after getting off the train, will exit the station through the rooftop plaza. “This will ensure that the stations are not crowded,” he added.
During the redevelopment of the CST, the heritage structures will not be disturbed. The railways redevelop the areas around the heritage station and create a new block for long-distance trains. Vaishnaw said that when planning the renovation of this station, special attention was paid to the large number of passengers using the suburban railways and added that the new construction around the existing station will be low-rise.
On the plans for Ahmedabad station refurbishment, the minister said the iconic design will have a huge arch inspired by Modhera’s sun temple and solar-themed architecture has been designed throughout the station. The station will also have a large rooftop square above the tracks. An elevated road network has been designed around the station for regular traffic movement. There will also be a stepped amphitheater near the station for cultural events.
