Lok Sabha Question No. 2958 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-06
Subject: Redevelopment of Chengannur Railway Station under ABSS
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Kodikunnil Suresh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2958 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.08.2025

## REDEVELOPMENT OF CHENGANNUR RAILWAY STATION UNDER ABSS 2958. SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH :

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the current status of the Chengannur railway station redevelopment  under  the  Amrit  Bharat  station  scheme,  including the details of tenders, if any issued or physical works begun;
- (b)  the  total  sanctioned  investment  for  the  project  and  the  role  of Central, State and Railway authorities in funding and executing the works;
- (c) the planned  scope of works under Phase-I and Phase-II - such as terminal building upgrades, pilgrim centre, lifts, escalators, skywalk, STP, parking and other  passenger amenities - along with their estimated timelines;
- (d) the status of connectivity improvements (road, pedestrian, lastmile) to the station; and
- (e)  the  expected  completion  dates  for  each  phase  and  the  total project outlay?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

## ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) to (e):  Chengannur   railway station    have  been   identified  for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. The redevelopment work of Chengannur railway station has been sanctioned at a cost of Rs. 98.46 crores by Ministry of Railways.

The  master plan of the Chengannur  railway  station  envisages construction  of  new  terminal  building,  pilgrim  shelter,  foot  over bridge, 12 m wide roof plaza, platform upgradation including platform shelter, improvement to circulating area and parking space etc. The tendering  process  for  the  redevelopment  of  Chengannur  railway station has been taken up.

In  recent  years,  improvements  to  pay  and  use  toilets  in  circulating area, improvements to AC waiting hall as well as retiring rooms and replacement of damaged platform shelter roofing have been executed at Chengannur railway station.

35 stations have been identified for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in the State of Kerala. List of the stations is given below:

| State   |   No. of Amrit Stations | Names of Amrit Stations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|---------|-------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Kerala  |                      35 | Alappuzha , Angadippuram, Angamali For Kaladi, Chalakudi, Changanassery, Chengannur, Chirayinkeezh, Ernakulam, Ernakulam Town, Ettumanur, Ferok, Guruvayur , Kannur, Kasargod, Kayankulam Jn, Kollam Jn, Kozhikode, Kuttippuram, Mavelikara, Neyyattinkara , Nilambur Road, Ottappalam, Parappanangadi, Payyanur, Punalur, Shoranur Jn., Thalassery, Thiruvananthapuram Central, Thrisur, Tirur, Tiruvalla, Tripunithura, Vadakara, VarkalaShivagiri, Wadakancheri |

Presently Phase-I work  of 2 stations i. e.  Chirayinkeezh  and Vadakara, have been completed.

The Amrit Bharat Station 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.

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. Chengannur railway station falls under the jurisdiction of Southern  Railway  for  which  a  total  allocation  of  Rs  1122  crores (Budget  Estimate)  has  been  made  for  the  financial  year  2025-26 under Plan Head-53.

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. The priority for development / redevelopment / upgradation  /  modernisation  of  stations  is  accorded  to  higher category of station over lower category of station while sanctioning and executing the works.

Further, development/redevelopment/upgradation of Railway Stations is  complex  in  nature  involving  safety  of  passengers  &  trains  and requires various statutory clearances such as fire clearance, heritage, tree cutting, airport clearance etc. The progress also gets affected  due  to  brown  field  related  challenges  such  as  shifting  of utilities, (involving water/sewage lines, optical fiber cables, gas pipe lines,  power/signal  cables  etc.)  infringements,  operation  of  trains without  hindering  passenger  movement,  speed  restrictions  due  to works carried out in close proximity of high voltage power lines etc. and  these  factors  affect  the  completion  time.  Therefore,  no  time frame can be indicated at this stage.

The phasing of the station redevelopment project depends on several factors like requirement, level of existing infrastructure, changes in station footfall, development of adjoining areas and their interaction with  the  station,  changes  in  complementary  mode  of  transport, availability of funds, inter-se priority etc. This is a gradually evolving process depending  upon a  numbers of variables  and  no  time  frame can be indicated at this stage for the same.

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