Lok Sabha Question No. 510 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-23
Subject: Guest House/Rest House at Silchar Railway Station
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Parimal Suklabaidya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 510 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025

GUEST HOUSE/REST HOUSE AT SILCHAR RAILWAY STATION †510.   SHRI PARIMAL SUKLABAIDYA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to build a guest house or a rest house for the convenience of passengers at Silchar railway station;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  take  steps  to ensure availability  of  adequate  railway  quarters  for  railway  employees  at Silchar railway station;
- (d) if so, the number of railway quarters proposed to be constructed;
- (e) whether the Government proposes to replace the local trains with DEMU racks running from Silchar railway station; and
- (f) if so, the current status of this process and the deadline by which
- this process is likely to be implemented?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) to (f):  Development/upgradation of stations on Indian Railways is a continuous and ongoing process and works in this regard are undertaken  as per requirement, subject to inter-se priority and availability of funds.

At Silchar railway station located in the state of Assam, three retiring rooms (double-bedded) and one dormitory (six-bedded) are existing for convenience of the passengers. In recent years, various works related to passenger amenities have been executed at Silchar station which include  improvement  of  platform  surfacing,  waiting  hall,  platform shelters, circulating area, approach road, provision of lifts, etc.

Further,  Silchar  railway  station  has  been  identified  for  development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. This scheme envisages development  of  stations  on  a  continuous  basis  with  a  long-term approach. It involves preparation of master plans and their implementation in phases to improve the amenities at the stations like improvement  of  station access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lift/escalators as necessary, platform surfacing and cover over platform,  cleanliness,  free  Wi-Fi,  kiosks  for  local  products  through schemes like 'One Station One Product', better passenger information systems, executive lounges, nominated spaces for business meetings, landscaping, etc. keeping in view the necessity at each station.

The scheme also envisages improvement of building, integrating  the station with both sides of the city, multimodal integration, amenities for Divyangjans, sustainable and environment friendly solutions, provision  of  ballastless  tracks,  etc.  as  per  necessity,  phasing  and feasibility and creation of city centre at the station in the long term.

So far, 1337 stations have been identified for development under Amrit Bharat  Station  Scheme,  out  of  which  50  stations  are  located  in  the state  of  Assam.  The  names  of  stations  identified  for  development

under  Amrit  Bharat  Station  Scheme  in  the  state  of  Assam  are  as following:

| State   |   No. of Amrit Stations | Names of Amrit Stations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|---------|-------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Assam   |                      50 | Amguri, Arunachal, Chaparmukh, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Diphu, Duliajan, Fakiragram Jn., Gauripur, Gohpur, Golaghat, Gosai Gaon Halt, Guwahati, Haibargaon, Harmuti, Hojai, Jagiroad, Jorhat Town, Kamakhya, Kokrajhar, Lanka, Ledo, Lumding, Majbat, Makum Jn, Margherita, Mariani, Murkeongselek, Naharkatiya, Nalbari, Namrup, Narangi, New Bongaigaon, New Haflong, New Karimganj, New Tinsukia, North Lakhimpur, Pathsala, Rangapara North, Rangiya Jn, Sarupathar, Sibsagar Town, Silapathar, Silchar, Simaluguri, Tangla, Tinsukia, Udalguri, Viswanath Chariali |

Master planning for development of Silchar station under Amrit Bharat Station  Scheme  has  been  taken  up.  This  is  an  iterative  process requiring optimization and the time frame for such optimization cannot be indicated at this stage.

Development  /  upgradation  of  stations  including  under  Amrit  Bharat Station  Scheme  is  generally  funded  under  Plan  Head-53  'Customer Amenities'. The details of allocation under Plan Head-53 are maintained  Zonal  Railway-wise  and  not  work-wise  or  station-wise  or

State-wise.  The  state  of  Assam  is  covered  by  Northeast  Frontier Railway. For this zone, an allocation of Rs 554 Crores has been made for the financial year 2025-26 under Plan Head-53. At  present,  243  Railway  quarters  are  available  at  Silchar  railway station,  all  of  which  are  occupied  by  railway  staff.  Railway  has identified the requirement of additional 100 no. staff quarters and work has been taken up for execution of work for construction of 22 new quarters in first phase. Replacement of passenger trains with MEMU and DEMU services is an on-going  process  on  Indian  Railways,  which  is  dependent  on  factors like operational feasibility, availability of MEMU/DEMU rakes, competing demands etc. *****