Lok Sabha Question No. 3206 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-19
Subject: Guest House for Passengers
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Parimal Suklabaidya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3206 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2025

## GUEST HOUSE FOR PASSENGERS

†3206.  SHRI PARIMAL SUKLABAIDYA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is contemplating to build a Guest House or  Rest  House  for  the  convenience  of  passengers  at  Silchar  Railway Station;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is taking any steps to ensure availability of adequate railway quarters for Railway employees at Silchar Railway Station;
- (d) if so, the number of new quarters proposed to be constructed;
- (e) whether the Government is planning to convert Silchar local trains to Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) racks; and
- (f)  if  so,  the  details  of  the  current  status  of  this  process  and  the timeline for its implementation?

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

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  547  Crores  (Revised Estimate)  has  been  made  for  the  financial  year  2024-25  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  out  of which action has been taken up for execution of work for construction of 22 new quarters in first phase.

Silchar  is  presently  being  served  by  30  train  services.  Conversion  of Passenger trains into MEMU/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.

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