Lok Sabha Question No. 521 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-03
Subject: Upgradation of Railway Stations in Murshidabad
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Md Abu Taher Khan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 521 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.12.2025

## UPGRADATION OF RAILWAY STATIONS IN MURSHIDABAD

521. MD ABU TAHER KHAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  there  are  any  plans  to  upgrade  railway  stations  in Murshidabad district particularly Berhampore  Court, Lalgola and Azimganj-with  modern  passenger  amenities  such  as  clean  toilets, adequate seating and digital information system and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  the  details  of  the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to improve  safety  measures  and  infrastructure  at  smaller  stations  in Murshidabad  where  inadequate  lighting,  poor  sanitation  and  lack  of surveillance remain major concerns for passengers; and
- (c) whether the Government allocated any specific budget/timeline for the redevelopment/modernisation of Murshidabad's key railway stations to bring them at par with standard facilities available in other districts of West Bengal and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a)  to  (c)  Ministry  of  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  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 101 stations including Azimganj and Berhampore Court stations of Murshidabad district, are located in the state of West  Bengal.  The name  of  stations identified for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in the state of West Bengalare as following:

| State       |   No. of Stations | Name of Stations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-------------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| West Bengal |               101 | Adra, Alipur duar Jn., Aluabari Road, Ambika Kalna, Anara, Andal Jn., Andul, Asansol Jn., Azimganj, Bagnan, Bally, Balurghat, Bandel Jn., Bangaon Jn., Bankura, Barabhum, Barasat, Barddhaman, Barrackpore, Belda, Berhampore court, Bethuadahari, Bhaluka Road, Binnaguri, Bishnupur, Bolpur Shantiniketan, Burnpur, Canning, Chandan nagar, Chandpara, Chandrakona Road, Dalgaon, Dalkhola, Dankuni, Dhulian Ganga, Dhupguri, Digha, Dinhata, Dum Dum Jn., Falakata, Garbeta, Gede, Haldia, Haldibari, Harishchandrapur, Hasimara, Hijli, Howrah Jn, Jalpaiguri, Jalpaiguri Road, Jangipur Road, Jhalida, Jhargram, Joychandi Pahar Jn, Kaliyaganj, Kalyani, Kalyani Ghoshpara, Kamakhyaguri, Katwa Jn, Khagraghat Road, Kharagpur Jn, Kolkata, Krishnanagar City Jn, Kumedpur Jn, Madhukunda, |

| State   | No. of Stations   | Name of Stations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|---------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         |                   | Madhyamgram, Malda Court, Malda Town, Mecheda, Medinipur (Midnapore), Nabadwip Dham, Naihati Jn, New Alipurduar, New Cooch Behar, New Farakka Jn, New Jalpaiguri Jn, New Mal Jn, Ondagram, Panagarh, Pandabeswar, Panskura Jn, Purulia Jn, Rampurhat Jn, Ranaghat, Sainthia Jn, Salboni, Samsi, Santragachi, Sealdah, Shalimar, Shantipur, Sheoraphuli Jn., Siliguri Jn., Sitarampur, Siuri, Sonarpur Jn., Suisa, Tamluk, Tarakeswar, Tulin, Uluberia |

Development works at railway stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in the state of West Bengal have been taken up at a good pace.  Till  now,  works  of  3  stations  (Joychandi  Pahar,  Kalyani Ghoshpara and Panagarh) in  the  state  of  West  Bengal  have  been completed  under  this  scheme.  The  works  at  other  stations  have also  been  taken  up  at  good  pace  and  progress  of  some  of  above stations is as given below:

-  Azimganj station: The work of platform surfacing, platform shelter, new  second  entry  station building,  improvement  of existing station building, booking  office, waiting  hall, toilet, circulating area, Divyangjan facilities, coach indication board and

train indication board have been completed. The finishing works

- have been taken up.
-  Berhampore  Court  station:  The  work  of  platform shelter at platform  no.  1,  platform  surfacing  of  platform  no.  2/3  and  Public Announcement System (PAS) have been completed. The work of platform shelter at platform no. 2/3 has been taken up.
-  Khagraghat  Road  station:  The  work  ofcoach  indication  board, train indication board have been completed. The works  of improvement of existing station building, booking office, waiting hall, toilet, circulating area, parking area and Divyangjan facilities have been taken up.
-  New  Farraka  Junction  station:  The  work  of  improvement  of existing  station  building,  reserve  lounge,  portico,  waiting  hall, lifts, coach indication board, train indication board and signages have  been  completed.  The  works  of  circulating  area,  toilet, escalator,  Divyangjan  facilities  and  12  m  Foot  Over  Bridge  have been taken up.
-  Jangipur  Road  station:  The  works  of  improvement  of  station building, circulating area, coach indication board, train indication board,  signages  and  lift  completed.  The  works  of  portico  and Divyangjan facilities have been taken up.
-  Dhulian  Ganga  station:  The  works  of  Passenger  Reservation System building, improvement of existing station building, lift and Divyangjan facilities have been completed. The works of concourse area and circulating area have been taken up.

At Lalgola station, development works for improvement of circulating  area,  platform  shelter  at  platform  no.  1,  upper  class waiting  hall,  ramp  at  station  entry,  urinals  at  platform  no.  2  and ladies  toilet  have  been  completed  in  recent  years  to  improve passenger amenities. Further, the works for raising of platform and provision of toilet have been sanctioned. Further, upgradation / modernisation of stations on Indian Railways is  a  continuous and ongoing process and works in this regard are undertaken  as  per  requirement,  inter-se  priority,  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.

Development  /  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  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.

Development / upgradation / modernisation of stations including under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme is generally funded under Plan Head-53 'Customer Amenities'. The details of allocation and expenditure under Plan Head-53 are maintained Zonal Railway-wise and not work-wise, or station wise or state-wise. The state of West Bengal is covered under the jurisdiction of four railway zones,  namely Eastern Railway, Northeast Frontier Railway, South Eastern Railway and Metro Railway. For these zones, an allocation of ₹ 1,317 crore has been made for the financial  year  2025-26,  out  of  which  an  expenditure  (up  to  October, 2025) of ₹ 737 crore has been incurred so far.

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