Delhi's Tilak Bridge, Ggm in nationwide railway revamp

Railway stations that look and feel like international airports, facilities such as water ATMs, modern restrooms, food courts, shopping areas, VIP lounges, LED display screens and infrastructure that is friendly to the differently abled and a lot more are in the pipeline for rail passengers.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi kick-started an ambitious scheme to revamp the country's rail transit landscape and provide better amenities at 554 railway stations across the country.

Besides these stations, over 1,500 road over bridges (ROBs) and road under bridges (RUBS) will also be redeveloped, said railways officials.

Among the stations on the list is Delhi's Tilak Bridge, which will undergo a 25.1 crore revamp to get a new and upgraded facade, separate entry and exit for passengers, a VIP lounge, LED display screens, and modern signages, among other facilities, Northern Railway officials said.

A total of eight railway stations slated for redevelopment are located in the Delhi division - Gurugram, Faridabad New Town, Ballabhgarh, Gohana, Muzaffarnagar, Palwal and Meerut City, the officials added.

"The stations will also have upgraded facades, a separate entry and exit area, along with wide foot-over-bridges. Separate pick-up and drop areas are also part of the revamp plan, besides landscaping both within and outside the station to show local heritage and art," said Prem Shankar Jha, executive advisor to the divisional railway manager (DRM).