New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday virtually laid the foundation for upgrading 508 railway stations across the country. The initiative is aimed to transform railway stations into modern, state-of-the-art facilities, catering to the needs of millions of passengers. According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the redevelopment project, known as the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, reflects the Prime Minister's unwavering commitment to providing world-class public transport.
Speaking on the occasion, the PM said that India is at the beginning of its 'Amrit Kaal' and there is 'new energy, new inspiration and new resolutions and in this spirit'. He said that every 'Amrit' station will be a symbol of city's aspirations and India's ancient heritage.
"India, which is heading towards the goal of being developed, is at the beginning of its Amrit Kaal. There is new energy, new inspiration and new resolutions and in this spirit, a new chapter is beginning in the history of Indian Railways," the PM said.
On the newly launched Amrit Bharat Railway Stations Scheme, PM Modi said, "Around 1300 major railway stations in India will now be developed as Amrit Bharat Railway Station. They will be re-developed in a modern way. Of these, work on the redevelopment of 508 Amrit Bharat Railway Stations begins today. Around 25,000 Crores will be spent on the redevelopment of these 508 Amrit Bharat Stations. You can imagine how big of a drive this will be for the infrastructure, Railways and most importantly for the common people of my country..."
PM Modi further said, "Today, the focus of the entire world is on India today. India's prestige, on a global scale, has increased. World's attitude towards India has changed. There are two main reasons behind this - 1) Indians brought in a full majority government after almost 30 years, 2) The full majority government took major decisions and continuously worked for a permanent solution to the challenges."
Elaborating on the advantages of modern railway stations, he said, "Modern railway stations will give a boost to tourism and economic activities. The government has also launched 'One Station One Product' scheme which will benefit workers and craftsmen, along with branding of the district."
"Our aim is to make Indian railways modern as well as environment-friendly. In the next few years, all railway tracks will be electrified and trains will run on electricity," the Prime Minister added.
He said, "Our government has given priority to the expansion of railways in the North East. All state capitals of North East will be connected by a rail network soon."
PM Modi said that Railways has received a budget of more than Rs 2.5 lakh crore, "which is five times more than the budget allocated in 2014".
According to a PMO release, "As part of this scheme, the foundation stone for redevelopment of 508 stations is being laid by the Prime Minister. These stations will be redeveloped at a cost of more than Rs 24,470 crores. Master Plans are being prepared for the development of these stations as ‘City Centres', with proper integration of both sides of the city."
These 508 railway stations, targeted for redevelopment, are distributed across 27 states and Union Territories, with prominent numbers in states like Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan with 55 stations each, followed by 49 in Bihar, 44 in Maharashtra, and 37 in West Bengal, among others. Notably, the rejuvenation plans focus on modern passenger amenities, efficient traffic circulation, seamless inter-modal integration, and comprehensive signage to facilitate passenger guidance.
