Ludhiana Railway Station redevelopment project: Halt point of trains to be shifted to reduce rush
Long-route trains from Ludhiana, including Himgiri Express, Amrapali Express, Jansadharan Express, Shaheed Express, Archana Express, Saryu Yamuna etc are among the trains which will be shifted
In a bid to reduce passenger load at the Ludhiana Railway Station which will undergo major construction work under the redevelopment project, the railway authorities have proposed to shift the stoppage of several eastbound trains to Dhandari Kalan and Sahnewal Railway Station.
The budget to develop infrastructure at the Ludhiana Railway Station, including waiting rooms, restrooms and other facilities for the convenience of passengers will be released in the coming days, said railway officials.
As an overwhelming number of passengers at the railway station are migrant workers, the shifting of trains will reduce the rush inside and outside the station.
A senior railway official, giving out details, said authorities are mulling ways to keep the entry and exit points of the station smooth for traffic. He added that exit points and parking lots will be created along with the entrances which are currently under construction.
Long-route trains, including Himgiri Express, Amrapali Express, Jansadharan Express, Shaheed Express, Archana Express, Saryu Yamuna etc are among the trains which will be shifted. The official also added that the plans regarding the superfast trains, including the Vande Bharat Express and Shatabdi train are also underway.
He further said that a full list of trains to be shifted will be released by the division keeping the passenger convenience into consideration and it will be made sure that passengers face minimal harassment due to the project.
He also added that platform number 1 of the station will be closed in the coming days. 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, and will be relocated temporarily.
As the area around Dhandari and Sahnewal hosts a large migrant population, the move will prove to be effective, he claimed.
A multi-level structure will be built in the area that hosts the existing parking lots and 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 crores within the stipulated time period of 30 months.
Built by the Britishers, 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.