New Delhi, 10 December (HS):

During a discussion in the Lok Sabha on questions related to passenger amenities at railway stations, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday that station redevelopment is an extremely complex process that involves carrying out large-scale construction without halting train traffic. He emphasized that such a comprehensive station redevelopment effort is being taken up for the first time since Independence.

Responding to a query by Dharmendra Yadav, Samajwadi Party MP from Azamgarh, the Minister said that station development in India presents a new kind of challenge. Citing examples, he said that massive construction work is underway at stations like Chandigarh, yet traffic has not been stopped. In many countries, train traffic is halted for three to four years during station redevelopment, but due to India’s heavy passenger load, this is not feasible.

He added that redevelopment work is being carried out with top priority on safety amid massive traffic and movement. Since such large-scale redevelopment is happening for the first time, all suggestions from MPs are welcome, and the ministry will take immediate action on any improvement proposals.

Responding to a question from Congress MP Hibi Eden from Ernakulam, the Minister said that integrating all transport modes—bus, metro, and others—with station design is a core principle of the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. He cited the example of the New Delhi station redevelopment where DTC buses, metro services, and road transport are being interconnected in a coordinated manner.

The Minister assured that he will personally review the concern raised regarding the master plan of Ernakulam station and will provide detailed information to the concerned MP.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar