Coming, world class railway stations | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Coming, world class railway stations

Hindustan Times | ByHemendra Singh Bartwal, New Delhi
Jun 16, 2007 03:09 AM IST

Work will soon begin on the project for New Delhi station that is to be redeveloped on the lines of railway stations in western countries, reports Hemendra Singh Bartwal.

The decks have finally been cleared for the Railways’ ambitious proposal: to modernise New Delhi and 20 other destinations into world-class railway stations, with the Committee on Infrastructure set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh granting its approval to the scheme on Friday.

HT Image
HT Image

Work will soon begin on the project for New Delhi station that is to be redeveloped on the lines of railway stations in western countries at an estimated cost of Rs 5,000 crore.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

“We will make New Delhi station better than an airport. The Railway Ministry has received bids from six international consultants for preparing the architectural design of the new station. We will begin work within a week with the selection of a consultant,” Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav announced after a meeting of the Committee on Infrastructure at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The project would be taken up on an urgent basis as it is to be finished well in time for the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi, the minister said.

The station will be redeveloped under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode where bids will be invited from top building and construction companies to undertake the project spread over 80 hectares. The Railways will lease out its prime land to the company on a long-term basis.

The builder will finance the project and will be allowed to recover his investment by the commercial use of the property by constructing hotels, restaurants and shopping complexes.

According to Lalu, the ultramodern design railway station will have all passenger amenities and conveniences that he saw while visiting trains stations in European countries.

Separate arrival and departure terminals, plush waiting areas, rest rooms , eateries and shops will be other features of the new-look station, he said.

The other 20 stations are Agra, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Anand Vihar (Delhi), Bangalore, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Bijwasan (Delhi), Chandigarh, Chennai, Mumbai CST, Howrah, Jaipur, Lucknow, Mathura, Patna, Pune, Secunderabad, Thiruvananthapuram and Varanasi.

Unveiling Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!

Get Current Updates on India News, Election 2024, Arvind Kejriwal News Live, Bihar Board 10th Result 2024 Live along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On