Lok Sabha Question No. 147 (STARRED), answered on 2025-12-10
Subject: Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in  Tamil Nadu
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Dr. M K Vishnu Prasad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 147 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.12.2025

## AMRIT BHARAT STATION SCHEME IN TAMIL NADU

*147.  DR. M K VISHNU PRASAD:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  number of railway stations selected under Amrit Bharat Station (ABS)  scheme  in  Tamil  Nadu  particularly  in  Cuddalore  Lok  Sabha
- Constituency;
- (b) the details of the amount sanctioned, disbursed and spent for station redevelopment works in Tamil Nadu under the ABS scheme during the last five years, year, district and station-wise;
- (c) the number of selected stations where Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been sanctioned along with the details of financial and progress of
- the work; and
- (d)  whether the Government has taken note of the need for immediate upgradation  of  Thirupadiripuliyur,  Cuddalore  port  junction,  Panruti  and Pennadam railway stations under Southern Railway and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 147 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.12.2025 (a) to (d) 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 77 stations including Vriddhachalam Jn. and Tirupadripulyur stations of Cuddalore Lok Sabha Constituency,  are  located  in  the  state  of  Tamil  Nadu.  The  name  of stations identified for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in the state of Tamil Nadu are as following:

| State      |   No. of Stations | Name of Stations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|------------|-------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Tamil Nadu |                77 | Ambasamudram, Ambattur, Arakkonam Jn, Ariyalur, Avadi, Bommidi, Chengalpattu Jn, Chennai Beach, Chennai Egmore, Chennai Park, Chidambaram, Chinna Salem, Chrompet, Coimbatore Jn, Coimbatore North, Coonoor, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Erode Jn., Guduvancheri, Guindy, Gummidipundi, Hosur, Jolarpettai Jn, Kanniyakumari Terminus, Karaikkudi Jn, Karur Jn, Katpadi Jn, Kovilpatti, Kulitturai, Kumbakonam, Lalgudi, Madurai Jn, Mambalam, Manaparai, Mannargudi, Mayiladuturai Jn, Mettupalayam, Morappur, Nagercoil Jn, Namakkal, Palani, Paramakkudi, Perambur, |

| State   | No. of Stations   | Name of Stations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|---------|-------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         |                   | Podanur Jn., Pollachi Jn, Polur, Pudukkottai, Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central, Rajapalayam, Ramanathapuram, Rameswaram, Salem, Samalpatti, Sholavandan, Srirangam, Srivilliputtur, St.Thomas Mount, Tambaram, Tenkasi, Thanjavur Jn, Thiruvarur Jn., Tiruchendur, Tirunelveli Jn, Tirupadripulyur, Tirupattur, Tiruppur, Tirusulam, Tiruttani, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Tuticorin, Udagamandalam, Vellore Cantt., Villupuram Jn., Virudhunagar, Vriddhachalam Jn. |

Development  works  at  railway  stations  under  Amrit  Bharat  Station Scheme in the state of Tamil Nadu have been taken up at a good pace. Till  now, works of 17 stations (Bommidi, Chidambaram, Karaikkudi Jn., Kulitturai, Manaparai, Mannargudi, Morappur, Pollachi Jn., Polur, Samalpatti,  Sholavandan,  Srirangam,  Srivilliputtur,  St.Thomas  Mount, Thiruvarur Jn., Tiruvannamalai, Vriddhachalam Jn.) in the state of Tamil Nadu have been completed under this scheme. Further, works have been taken up at 56 stations and 4 stations are under master planning. The works have been taken up  at  good  pace  and  progress  of  some  of  the above stations is as given below:

· Tirupadripulyur  station:  The  works  of  parking  area  and  signages have been completed. The works of entrance arch, portico, improvement to waiting hall, platform surface, platform shelter, toilet, train indication board, approach road and parking area have been taken up.

- Vellore  Cantt.  station:  The  works  for  improvement  of  circulating area,  booking  office,  new  platform  shelter,  improvement  to  terminal building,  platform  surfacing,  waiting  hall,  toilet,  new  compound  wall, signages,  coach  indication  board,  standard  ramp,  Divyangjan  parking, low  height  ticket  booth,  Divyangjan  friendly  toilets,  tactile  pathway, accessible path, improvement of landscape and station illumination have been completed. The finishing works have been taken up.
- Ariyalur  station:  The  works  for  improvement  of  terminal  building with  porch,  concourse,  booking  office,  waiting  lobby,  improvement  to circulating  area,  platform  surfacing,  improvement  to  waiting  hall,  new toilet, standard ramp, coach indication boards, Divyangjan parking, low height ticket booth, Divyangjan friendly toilets, tactile pathway, accessible path, lighting, improvement of existing Foot Over Bridge, new platform shelter and coach indication boards have been completed. The work for construction of new 6 m Foot Over Bridge has been taken up.

⁠

- Rameswaram station: The structural works of East/North terminal building,  departure  forecourt,  arrival  forecourt,  residential  tower,  substation  building,  desalination  plant  and  sewage  treatment  plant  have been completed. The masonry works of East terminal building, finishing works of North terminal building, departure forecourt, arrival forecourt, residential  tower,  platform  upgradation  including  platform  shelter  and revamping of existing waiting hall have been taken up.

At Cuddalore Port Junction, Panruti and Pennadam stations of Southern Railway,  passenger  amenities  provided  at  the  stations  are  more  than prescribed Minimum Essential Amenities (MEA) norms. In recent years, the  works  for  platform  resurfacing  at  platform  no.  4&5  and  station entrance  work  have  been  taken  up  at  Cuddalore  Port  Jn.  station.  The work of platform resurfacing at platform no. 1 & 2 has been taken up at Panruti  station.  The  work  of  raising  of  platform  no.  1  &  2  has  been sanctioned  and  tendering  process  has  been  taken  up  at  Pennadam station.

Further,  development  /  redevelopment  /  upgradation  /  modernisation  of stations  on  Indian  Railways  is  a  continuous  and  ongoing  process  and works in this regard are undertaken as per requirement, subject to interse  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.

Master  planning  is  an  iterative  process  requiring  optimization  and  the time frame and other details for such optimization cannot be indicated at this stage.

Further, 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. The state of Tamil Nadu is covered under the jurisdiction  of  two  railway  zones, namely,  Southern  Railway  and  South Western Railway. For the last four years and the current year, ₹ 5,449 crore has been allocated while an expenditure of ₹ 4,439 crore has been incurred  during  the  last  four  years  and  current  year  (up  to  October, 2025).

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.

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