Lok Sabha Question No. 4429 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-20
Subject: Modernisation of Old Railway Stations
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Adv Gowaal Kagada Padavi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4429 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.08.2025

## MODERNISATION OF OLD RAILWAY STATIONS

4429.  ADV GOWAAL KAGADA PADAVI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  received  proposals  for  modernising old  railway  stations  to  world  class  standards  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b) the number of stations modernised during the last five years under redevelopment plans;
- (c)  whether  the  recent  upgradation  projects  are  on  time  and  within budget and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  the  details  of  the  specific  steps  to  improve  cleanliness,  security and passenger facilities at busy junctions; and
- (e)  the  targets  set  for  completion  of  ongoing  station  redevelopment works?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (e):  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.

To enhance customer experience and provide better amenities, Indian Railways has launched Amrit Bharat Station Scheme for redevelopment of stations with a long-term approach.

The scheme involves preparation of master plans and their implementation in phases to improve the stations. The master planning includes:

-  Improvement of access to station and circulating areas
-  Integration of station with both sides of city
-  Improvement of station building
-  Improvement of waiting halls, toilets, sitting arrangement, water booths
-  Provision of wider foot over bridge/air concourse commensurate with passenger traffic
-  Provision of lift/escalators/Ramp
-  Improvement/Provision of platform surface and cover over platforms
-  Provision of kiosks for local products through schemes like 'One Station One Product'
-  Parking areas, Multimodal integration
-  Amenities for Divyangjans
-  Better passenger information systems,
-  Provision  of  executive  lounges,  nominated  spaces  for  business meetings,  landscaping,  etc.  keeping  in  view  the  necessity  at each station.

The  scheme  also  envisages  sustainable  and  environment  friendly solutions,  provision  of  ballast  less  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 this scheme.  Presently, Phase-I work of 105 stations have beencompleted. The names of these stations are given below:

Ambikapur,  Amgaon,  Ayodhya  Dham,  Bagalkot,  Baijnath Paprola, Balrampur,  Bareilly  City,  Begumpet,  Bhanupratappur,  Bhilai,  Bijnor, Bundi, Chanda Fort, Chidambaram, Chinchpokli, Chirayinkeezh, Cuttack, Dakor, Derol, Deshnoke, Devlali, Dharwad, Dhule, Dongargarh, Fatehabad, Fatehpur Shekhawati, Gadag, Gogameri,  Gokak  Road,  Gola  Gokarnath,  Gomti  Nagar,  Govardhan, Govind  Garh,  Govindpuri,  Govindpur  Road,  Haibargaon,  Hathras  City, Hapa, Idgah Agra Jn., Izzatnagar, Jam  Jodhpur,  Jam  Wanthali, Joychandi Pahar, Kalyani Ghoshpara, Kanalus Jn., Karamsad, Karimnagar, Katni South, Kedgaon, Kosamba Jn., Kulitturai, Lasalgaon, Limbdi, Lonand Jn., Mahe, Mahuva, Mailani, Mandal Garh, MandawarMahwa Road, Mandi Dabwali, Mannargudi, Matunga, Mithapur, Morbi, Munirabad, Murtizapur Jn., Narmadapuram (Hoshangabad), Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Itwari Junction, Okha, Orchha, Palitana, Panagarh, Parel, Pirpainti, Pokhrayan, Polur, Rajgarh, Rajmahal,  Rajula  Jn.,  Ramghat  Halt,  Saharanpur  Jn.,  Samakhiyali, Samalpatti,  Sankarpur,  Savda,  Seoni,  Shahad,  Shajapur,  Shridham, Siddharth  Nagar,  Sihor  Jn.,  Srirangam,  St.Thomas  Mount,  Sullurpeta, Suraimanpur, Swaminarayan Chappia, Thawe, Tiruvannamalai, Ujhani, Urkura, Utran, Vadakara, Vadala Road, Vriddhachalam Jn. & Warangal.

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.  An  allocation  of  ₹12,118  crores  has  been  made  for  the financial  year  2025-26  under  Plan  Head  -  53  and  an  expenditure  of ₹3701crores has been incurred during 2025-26 (till July, 2025).

## Cleanliness at stations

Cleanliness is a continuous process and every endeavour is made to keep the stations premises in properly maintained and clean condition. Various  measures  have  been  taken  for  improving  cleanliness  at stations which includes:

-  Integrated housekeeping approach at major stations,
-  Mechanized  cleaning  and  provision  of  two  bin  type  dustbins  at several  locations  for  segregation  of  bio-degradable  and  nonbiodegradable wastes.
-  Rag  picking  contracts  and/or  garbage  disposal  contracts  are available at major stations.
-  Prevention of falling of fecal matter on Railway tracks by fitting bio-toilets  in  all  passenger  coaches,  thereby  ensuring  cleaner Railway Stations.
-  Installation of plastic bottle crushing machines at major stations.

Improvement of passenger facilities at railway stations including busy junctions  is  a  continuous  and  on-going  process  and  works  in  this regard are undertaken as per requirement, feasibility, inter-se priority and availability of funds etc.

## Security measures at stations

The following steps are being taken by the Railways in coordination with  GRP/Local  Police  for  safety  and  security  of  passengers  at stations:-

-  For  immediate  assistance,  passengers  can  make  complaint  on Rail  Madad  Portal  directly  or  through  Helpline  Number  139

(integrated  with  Emergency  Response  Support  System  (ERSS)

- No.112).
-  Railways  are  in  regular  touch  with  passengers  through  various social media platforms viz. twitter, facebook, koo etc. to enhance  security  of  passengers  and  to  address  their  security concern.
-  Frequent  announcements  are  made  through  Public  Address System to educate passengers to take precautions against theft, snatching, drugging etc.
-  Surveillance is kept through CCTV cameras provided in number of coaches  and railway stations for enhanced  security of passengers.
-  State Level Security Committee of Railways (SLSCR) have been constituted for all State/Union Territories under the Chairmanship of respective Director General of Police/Commissioner of States/Union  Territories  for  regular  monitoring  and  review  of security arrangements of the Railways.
-  Coordination with GRP/State Police and concerned railway departments are made for ensuring crowd management.
-  Vulnerability  assessment  is  done  across  railway  stations  and accordingly Government Railway Police (GRP) & Railway Protection Force (RPF) staff are deployed to the extent possible at  sensitive  locations  to  regulate  crowd  smoothly  during  the heavy rush period and render real time assistance to passengers.
-  GRP &  RPF  staff  are  deployed  at  foot-over  bridges  to  regulate crowd smoothly in order to avoid stampede like situation during the heavy  rush  period  and  render  real  time assistance  to passengers.
-  Intelligence units (Crime Intelligence Branch (CIB)/Special Intelligence  Branch  (SIB))  and  plain  cloth  staff  is  deployed  for

collection  of  information  of  criminal  and  coordinated  action  is taken to ensure security of passengers.

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.

Proposals/suggestions/representations, both formal and informal including  those  from  Hon'ble  Members  of  Parliament,  Ministers  of Central Government, elected representatives, Railways' own requirements,  organizations/rail  users  etc.  are  received  at  various levels  Railway  Administration  viz.  Division,  Zonal  Headquarter  and Railway Board's level for redevelopment of existing stations, enhancement  of  passenger  amenities/facilities  of  stations,  etc.,  a compendium of which is not maintained. However, these are examined and action as found feasible and justified is taken from time to time.

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