Important day: Pradhan ahead of event for redevelopment of railway stations

Hours before the laying of the foundation stone to redevelop 508 railway stations across India under the historic Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said the railway is an important mode of transport for the common people of the country.

Earlier, on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the redevelopment to be done at a cost of almost Rs 25,000 crore will revolutionise how rail infrastructure is imagined in the nation.

A release from the Prime Minister's Office informed that PM Modi will lay the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 508 railway stations across the country via video conferencing on Sunday morning.

Speaking to ANI in Bhubaneshwar, Pradhan said, "It is a very important day for the country. Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, PM Modi will lay the foundation stone to redevelop 508 railway stations at the cost of Rs 25,000 crores."

"Railway is an important mode of transport for the common people of the country," the senior BJP leader said.

Master Plans are being prepared for the development of these stations as 'City Centres', with proper integration of both sides of the city. This integrated approach is driven by the holistic vision of the overall urban development of the city, centred around the railway station.

These 508 stations are spread across 27 states and union territories, including 55 each in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, 49 in Bihar, 44 in Maharashtra, 37 in West Bengal, 34 in Madhya Pradesh, 32 in Assam, 25 in Odisha, 22 in Punjab, 21 each in Gujarat and Telangana, 20 in Jharkhand, 18 each in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, 15 in Haryana, 13 in Karnataka among others.

The redevelopment will provide modern passenger amenities along with ensuring well-designed traffic circulation, inter-modal integration and well-designed signage for the guidance of passengers. The design of the station buildings will be inspired by local culture, heritage and architecture.