Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to lay the foundation stone for 550 Amrit Bharat stations on February 26, a transformative initiative aimed at enhancing facilities at railway stations. This ambitious project, with an estimated cost of Rs 40,000 crore, focuses on the development of rooftop plazas and city centers, aiming to elevate the overall experience for commuters.
Additionally, during the virtual ceremony that will be broadcasted at over 2,000 railway stations, PM Modi will initiate the construction of nearly 1,500 road overbridges and underbridges across various states. The event will also see the acknowledgment of approximately 50,000 school students who participated in speech, essay, and poetry competitions on the theme “2047 – Viksit Bharat ki Railway,” organized by Indian Railways across 4,000 schools.
The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, launched for the holistic development of railway stations, includes the creation of master plans and their phased implementation. The focus is on improving amenities such as station access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lift/escalators, cleanliness, free WiFi, and promoting local products through initiatives like ‘One Station, One Product.’ The scheme also envisions the construction of executive lounges, spaces for business meetings, and landscaping, tailored to the specific needs of each station.
The scheme aims at building city centers at the stations in the long term, integrating them with both sides of cities and promoting multimodal integration. It emphasizes sustainable and eco-friendly solutions, proposing improvements based on fund availability and the condition of existing assets. Smooth access is a key consideration, with plans for widened roads, removal of unwanted structures, well-designed signages, dedicated pedestrian pathways, organized parking areas, and improved lighting.
High-level platforms and standardized lengths are part of the vision, with a focus on providing enhanced facilities at all categories of stations. As of now, 1,318 stations have been identified under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, selected based on proposals from zonal railways and locations in major cities and towns.