1,300 prime railway stations in the country will now be re-developed with modernity as ‘Amrit Bharat Stations’ and will get a new lease of life.
PM Modi laid the foundation stone for 508 railways stations, to be re-developed at a cost of more than Rs 24,470 crore.
In a historic move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the re-development of 508 railway stations across the country via video conferencing on Sunday (6 August).
To be re-developed at a cost of more than Rs 24,470 crore, these 508 stations are spread across 27 states and union territories.
This includes 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, 13 in Karnataka among others.
Master plans are being prepared for the development of these stations as ‘City Centres’, with proper integration of both sides of the city. This integrated approach is driven by the holistic vision of the overall urban development of the city, centered around the railway station.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister remarked that the new India which is fast moving towards the goal of Viksit Bharat is on the onset of Amrit Kaal.
“There is new energy, new inspirations and new resolutions,” the Prime Minister said underlining that it is the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Indian Railways.
He informed that almost 1,300 prime railway stations in the country will now be re-developed with modernity as ‘Amrit Bharat Stations’ and will get a new lease of life.
Out of the 1,300 railway stations, the Prime Minister informed, that the foundation stone for 508 Amrit Bharat Stations is being laid today (6 August) at the cost of approximately Rs 25,000 crore.
The Prime Minister emphasised that the re-development project will be a huge campaign for infrastructure development in the country for the Railways and the common citizens.
Noting that its benefits will be spread to all states in the country, the Prime Minister mentioned that 55 Amrit Stations will be developed at the cost of approximately Rs 4,000 crore in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, 34 stations in Madhya Pradesh at the cost of close to Rs 1,000 crore, 44 stations in Maharashtra at the cost of Rs 1,500 crore, and that prime railway stations in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala, among others, will be redeveloped.
The Prime Minister praised the Ministry of Railways and congratulated the citizens for this historic project.
Presenting the facts of the expansion of the rail sector to illustrate his points, the Prime Minister remarked that in the last nine years, the length of track laid in the country was more than the combined railway network in South Africa, Ukraine, Poland, the UK and Sweden.
Putting the scale of expansion of Indian Railways in perspective, the Prime Minister further said that in the last year alone, India laid more railway tracks than the combined railway network of South Korea, New Zealand and Australia.
Today, he added, the government is working to make the rail journey accessible as well as pleasant.
“The effort is to provide the best possible experience from train to station,” the Prime Minister added. He highlighted features like better seating on platforms, upgraded waiting rooms and free wi-fi on thousands of stations.
Underlining the vast development that has taken place in Indian Railways, the Prime Minister also emphasised that it is due to the grand organisation of today’s event that he is reflecting on the achievements of Railways in great detail today itself.
The Prime Minister referred to the Railways as the lifeline of the country and added that along with this, the identity of the cities is also linked with the railway stations, becoming the heart of the city. This has made it imperative to provide a modern form to the stations.
The Prime Minister said that the modernisation of so many stations will create a new atmosphere for development in the country, as they will create a good first impression among the visitors.
Upgraded stations will not only increase tourism but will also give a push to economic activities in the nearby areas. He added that the ‘One Station One Product’ scheme will help the artisans and will help in the branding of the district.
Emphasising that the country has also taken the resolution to take pride in one’s heritage in the Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal, the Prime Minister said, “These Amrit railway stations will be a symbol of taking pride in one’s heritage and instill pride in every citizen.”
The Prime Minister also highlighted that the Amrit stations will present a glimpse of India’s cultural and local heritage.
Giving examples, he mentioned that Jaipur Railway Stations will have glimpses of Hawa Mahal and Amer Fort from Rajasthan, Jammu Tawi Railway Station in Jammu and Kashmir will be inspired by the famous Raghunath Mandir and Dimapur Station of Nagaland will showcase the local architecture of 16 different tribes from the region.
Prime Minister Modi went on to add that every railway station will be a symbol of the modern aspirations of the country along with its ancient heritage.
“Our emphasis is on making Indian Railways modern as well as environment friendly,” the Prime Minister said as he informed that 100 per cent rail line electrification will be achieved very soon, which will result in all the trains in India running only on electricity.