Lok Sabha Question No. 6087 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-04-01
Subject: Raiganj Railway Station
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Kartick Chandra Paul

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6087 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.04.2026

## RAIGANJ RAILWAY STATION

## 6087. SHRI KARTICK CHANDRA PAUL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  Raiganj  railway  station  in  Uttar  Dinajpur  district  has  been excluded from the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS) and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the criteria adopted by the Government for selection of stations under the said Scheme;
- (c)  whether  Raiganj  fulfils  the  parameters  relating  to  passenger  footfall, district  headquarters  status  and  regional  connectivity  and  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (d)  the  details  of  present  passenger  handling  capacity,  annual  footfall, revenue generation and category classification of the said station;
- (e) whether proposals received from MP, local representatives/the Railway Division  for  inclusion  of  Raiganj  station  and  status  under  the  said scheme and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) whether the Government proposes to include Raiganj railway station in the next phase of station redevelopment/sanction a separate comprehensive  development  plan  with  modern  passenger  amenities, circulating area improvement, escalators, lifts and digital facilities and if so, the timeline thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

## ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a)  to  (f)  At  Raiganj  station  of  Uttar  Dinajpur  district,  located  in  West Bengal,  facilities  like  high  level  platform,  platform  shelter,  waiting  hall, drinking  water  arrangement,  urinal,  lavatory,  seating  arrangement,  Foot Over  Bridge  etc.  are  available.  Raiganj  station  is  (Non-Suburban  Grade)

§

NSG-4  category  station.  The  works  of  improvement  of  station  building, platform  shelter,  raising  and  extension  of  platform  no.  1,  widening  of platform no. 2, improvement  of waiting hall, toilet block at platform no. 2, circulating area and 6 m Foot Over Bridge have been completed in recent years.

Further,  development  /  redevelopment  /  upgradation  /  modernisation  of stations  including  provision  of  passenger  amenities  like  circulating  area, lift, escalator etc. 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.  Development  /  redevelopment  / upgradation / modernisation of a station is carried out based on category of station/condition/traffic handled etc.

The annual footfall at Raiganj station is 23.88 lakh in 2024-25 and is 23.70 lakh in 2025-26 (up to February 2026).

The segment-wise revenue and source-wise expenditure details for Zonal Railways  are  available  in  the  Annual  Statistical  Statements  on  Indian Railway website.

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, 1,338 stations have been identified for development under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Out of these, 102 stations, including Aluabari Road, Dalkhola and Kaliyaganj stations of Uttar Dinajpur district, are located in West Bengal. The name of stations identified under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in West Bengal are as following:

| State       |   No. of Stations | Name of Stations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|-------------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| West Bengal |               102 | 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, Madhyamgram, Malda Court, Malda Town, Mecheda, |

| State   | No. of Stations   | Name of Stations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|---------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         |                   | 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., Shrirampur, Siliguri Jn., Sitarampur, Siuri, Sonarpur Jn., Suisa, Tamluk, Tarakeswar, Tulin, Uluberia |

## Completed stations:

Development works at railway stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in West Bengal have been taken up at a good pace. Till now, works of 10 stations  have  been  completed.  The  name  of  stations  completed  in  West Bengal are as following:

| State       |   No. of stations | Name of stations                                                                                                 |
|-------------|-------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| West Bengal |                10 | Anara, Barabhum, Haldia, Haldibari, Joychandi Pahar Jn, Kalyani Ghoshpara, Kamakhyaguri, Panagarh, Siuri, Tamluk |

The activities for development at other stations have also been taken up at good pace and progress of some of the stations is as given below:

-  Aluabari  Road  station:  The  works  of  extension  of  platform  no.  2, platform  surfacing  at  platform  no.  1  and  2,  approach  road  and boundary wall  have  been  completed.  The  works  of  station  building, platform shelter and 12 m Foot Over Bridge have been taken up.
-  Balurghat  station:  The  works  of  improvement  of  station  building, portico,  extension  of  platform,  waiting  room,  circulating  area  and

- approach road have been completed. The works of lift and 12 m Foot Over Bridge have been taken up.
-  Dalkhola  station:  The  works  of  platform  surfacing,  platform  shelter and  12  m  Foot  Over  Bridge  have  been  completed.  The  works  of circulating area, approach road and lift have been taken up.
-  Jalpaiguri station: The works of extension and platform surfacing of platform  no.  1,  platform  shelter,  boundary  wall  and  12  m  Foot  Over Bridge have been completed. The works of circulating area, lift and escalator have been taken up.
-  Kaliyaganj station: The works of raising and extension of platform no. 1,  improvement  of  platform  surfacing  at  platform  no.  2,  platform shelter at platform no. 2, toilet block at platform no. 1 and 12 m Foot Over  Bridge  have  been  completed.  The  works  of  improvement  of station  building,  circulating  area,  boundary  wall  and  lift  have  been taken up.

Stations are selected based on the proposals received from Zonal Railways,  stations  located  in  major  cities  and  places  of  tourist  and pilgrimage importance.

Proposals  /  requests  /  suggestions  /  representations,  both  formal  and informal for Railway projects / works across the country are received on the basis of demands raised by State Governments, Members of Parliament,  Ministries  of  Central  Government,  elected  representatives, Railways'  own  requirements,  organizations  /  rail  users  etc.,  at  various levels including Railway Board, Zonal Railways, Division Office etc. Receipt of such suggestions / representations is a continuous and dynamic process and these are examined and action as found feasible and justified is taken from time to time.

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.

Development  /  Upgradation  /  Modernization  of  stations  including  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.  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 ₹ 1,184 crore (Revised  Estimate)  has  been  made  for  the  financial  year  2025-26,  out  of which  an  expenditure  of  ₹  1,231  crore  (up  to  February,  2026)  has  been incurred so far.

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