Lok Sabha Question No. 222 (STARRED), answered on 2024-12-11
Subject: Platform Related Works in Telangana
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Dr. Kadiyam Kavya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 222 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2024

## PLATFORM RELATED WORKS IN TELANGANA

*222 DR. KADIYAM KAVYA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of Railway Station Platform related works in Telangana which are  planned,  in  progress  and  its  commissioning  target  for  the current year, division and section-wise;
- (b)  the  details  of  construction  of  new  platforms,  digital  clocks  with GPS sync, coach guidance display boards, coaches, summary display boards, public announcement system, CCTV deployment, Wi-Fi, escalator, drinking water facilities and washroom facilities; and
- (c) the details of special arrangements made for women and specially challenged people?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (c) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House. *****

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a)  TO  (c)  OF  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 222 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2024

(a)  to  (c)  Ministry  of  Railways  has  launched  'Amrit  Bharat  Station Scheme' for development of Railway stations on Indian Railways. 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 and persons with reduced mobility such as entrance ramps,  accessible  parking,  low  height  ticket  counters,  help  booths, toilets, drinking water booths, sub-ways/foot over bridges with ramps/lifts,  standard  signages  including  Braille  signages  and  tactile pathways  for  persons  with  visual  impairment,  etc.,  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  under  this  scheme  out  of which 40 stations are located in the state of Telangana. The names of stations identified for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in the state of Telangana are as following:

| State     |   No. of Stations | Names of Stations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|-----------|-------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Telangana |                40 | Adilabad, Basar, Begumpet, Bhadrachalam Road, Gadwal, Hafizpet, Hi-tech City, Huppuguda, Hyderabad, Jadcherla, Jangaon, Kacheguda, Kamareddi, Karimnagar, Kazipet Jn, Khammam, Lingampalli, Madhira, Mahabubabad, Mahbubnagar, Malakpet, Malkajgiri, Manchiryal, Medak, Medchal, Miryalaguda, Nalgonda, Nizamabad, Peddapalli, Ramagundam, Secunderabad, Shadnagar, Sri Bala Brahmeswara Jogulamba, Tandur, Umdanagar, Vikarabad, Warangal, Yadadri, Yakutpura, Zahirabad |

During the current year (2024-25), high level passenger platforms have been  constructed  at  three  stations  in  the  state  of  Telangana  viz.

Hafizpet,  Karimnagar  and  Mahabubnagar  Town  Halt,  and  platform works have been taken up at 46 stations.

In  order  to  facilitate  easy  movement  of  elderly,  sick  passengers  and Divyangjans and for smooth access to platforms, 67 lifts at 28 stations and  34  escalators  at  9  stations  have  been  provided  in  the  state  of Telangana.  In  addition,  Digital  Clocks  with  GPS  SYNC  have  been provided at 176 stations, Coach Guidance Display Boards have been provided  at  33  stations,  Public  Announcement  System  has  been provided at 183 stations and Wifi has been provided at 176 stations in the state. Also, 367 CCTV cameras have been installed at 17 stations across Telangana to strengthen the security at railway stations.

Further, development/upgradation of stations and amenities for passengers including facilities for women  and  differently abled persons (Divyangjans) is a continuous and on-going process and works in  this  regard  are  undertaken  as  per  requirement,  subject  to  inter-se priority and availability of funds. The priority for provision/upgradation of  amenities  is  accorded  to  higher  category  of  station  over  lower category of station while sanctioning and executing the works.

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, air-port clearance etc. The progress also gets affected due to brownfield  related  challenges  such  as  shifting  of  utilities,  (involving water/sewage lines, optical fibre 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 tracks and high voltage power lines, etc. and these factors  affect  the  completion  time.  Therefore,  no  time  frame  can  be indicated at this stage.

The  works  of  passenger  amenities  and  station  development  are generally  carried  out  under  Plan  Head-53  'Customer  Amenities'.  The details  of  allocation  of  funds  for  development  and  maintenance  of stations  are  maintained  Zonal  Railway-wise  under  Plan  Head-53  and not station-wise or section-wise or State/UT-wise. The  state of Telangana is covered by South Central Railway. The allocation for the financial year 2024-25 for this zone is Rs 789 Crores.

*****