Cabinet approves ‘Futuristic’ reconstruction of three railway stations

The Union cabinet has permitted the long-awaited redevelopment of the New Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus railway stations at a cost of Rs 10,000 crore.

The stations will be developed with futuristic design and user convenience. The stations will be equipped with roof-top plazas, consisting of multiple amenities such as waiting areas, entertainment lounges, playing areas, food courts, and recreational facilities.

The redevelopment of these stations will take 2-3.5 years as a framework has to be established to ensure there are no traffic congestion woes in these typically high-density areas. Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said that arrangements have been made to ensure that the livelihoods of millions of small business owners in and around the stations are protected after redevelopment.

“The three stations will be developed completely through budgetary means. Railways caters to middle class and lower middle class so any extra burden on passengers is not good. So, it has been decided to invest budget money in the Railways. It is a conscious decision to redevelop all these stations under the EPC model,” the minister said. The projects will be tendered out through the Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) mode.