Chandigarh railway station revamp deadline now May 2025
Passengers and their families are likely to keep facing inconvenience at the Chandigarh Railway Station as its redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme at a cost of Rs 462 crore will take another year and is slated to be completed by May 2025. The project had started in January 2023.
The announcement was made by Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Bittu during his visit to the railway station to check the progress of the redevelopment project. “Such big projects take time and a delay of 1-2 months above the finalised time of completion is also understandable. We do not want to compromise on quality,” the minister said.
‘Farmer protest hit foodgrain transport’
Due to protests by farmers on railway tracks, freight loading and foodgrain loading at Ambala suffered this year. While 240 foodgrain rakes were loaded in April last year, the number reduced to 168 this year. — Ravneet Bittu, Minister of State for Rlys
Addressing mediapersons after the visit, Bittu said few components such as a foot over bridge (FOB), station buildings on both sides and parking would be ready for public by February next year while the revamped station will be finally ready by May next year. “The Chandigarh Railway Station is the gateway to Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. Hence, it has strategic importance and we are committed to make it world-class,” he added.
He also announced that during the upcoming festive season, the Railways would operate 6,000 specials trains across the country, with 161 in northern section, which would have 2,882 trips originating and terminating.
According to data from the Railways, the present footfall at the Chandigarh Railway Station is about 36,000 per day with 82 trains average passing, including 17 pairs originating/terminating per day.
Giving details of the project, the MoS said, “Once fully completed, the facility will have segregation of passengers for both arrivals and departures. A four-storeyed 60m x 42m station building on both Chandigarh and Panchkula sides with 30 lifts, 10 escalators and two FOBs of 12 m width was being established. Moreover, a parking area of total 25,000 sq m is being developed to accommodate vehicles, both two-wheelers and four-wheelers. Two dormitories with capacity of 20 beds and 10 air-conditioned retiring rooms with facility of TV, heater, etc, shall also be provided. Space for food plaza, 72m x 80m air concourse and AC restaurant will also be made available to passengers.”
It was also announced that the Ministry of Railways has approved installation of Kavach 4.0 on 10,000 locomotives. According to officials, high-density routes were first taken for deployment of Kavach on the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah routes (around 3,000 route km).
The minister said the work for installation of Kavach in Northern Railways was sanctioned for 1,790 route km while in Punjab it was 121 route km, Chandigarh-Dhulkot 33 route km and Ferozepur-Bathinda 88 route km.
What’s coming up
- A four-storeyed 60m x 42m station building on both Chandigarh, Panchkula sides
- 30 lifts, 10 escalators and two 12-m-wide foot over bridges
- 25,000 sq m of parking area
- Two dormitories with capacity of 20 beds
- 10 AC retiring rooms
- Space for food plaza
- 72m x 80m air concourse
