Ludhiana railway station main entrance, exit to be closed for redevelopment project’s work
The new entrance for the Ludhiana railway station has been set up near the Jagraon bridge along with new parking lots, while the route through the goods godown will be used as an exit gate
Passengers will need to brace for increased congestion at the railway station as the main entrance and exits will be closed for both passengers and vehicular traffic within the month for the redevelopment project. Work to create alternative passages, meanwhile, is nearing completion.
The new entrance has been set up near the Jagraon bridge along with new parking lots for two-wheelers and four-wheelers, while the route through the goods godown will be used as an exit gate.
A multi-level structure will be built in the area that hosts the existing parking lot. The excavation will commence once the new passages are ready, said an official of the construction company that has been awarded the project to remodel the railway station at an estimated cost of ₹478 crore.
Railway officials said the temporary structures that will host the offices of the station director, station superintendent, health officer, travelling ticket examiner and railway protection force have been created at the north end of the railway station, as the existing structure will be demolished.
They said minor changes are being made to the blueprints as per the need, adding that arrangements for the bathrooms and clean drinking water will be made on priority.
A railway official, meanwhile, said the contract was awarded on engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) mode to the company on December 18 last year and is to be completed within the stipulated 30 months.
The project under which the station will be completely remodelled also includes linking the junction with the Sham Nagar road, which will provide a direct link to the ISBT, construction of a ramp from the main railway station road (old GT road), upgrading of parking areas, reconstruction of existing residential quarters in the vicinity of the station, redesigning of entry and exit points from the civil lines and upgradation of the railway yard to ensure smooth rail traffic.
Built by the British, the city railway station witnesses a footfall of around 1 lakh visitors on peak days. It has not gone through any major change since its initial construction and passengers often face inconvenience due to a lack of seating arrangements.