The majority of railway stations in India are equipped with facilities that are well over a century old, deterring people from choosing the railways over other modes of transportation. Hence, in the past few years, modernisation and transformation of railway stations into transportation hubs with state-of-the-art infrastructure has been a key focus area of the Ministry of Railways. So far, 1,324 stations have been identified for redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS), which envisages the development of stations on a continuous basis with a long-term approach.
Increasing focus on passenger experience
Passenger convenience has received significant attention with the introduction of the ABSS, which focuses on station redevelopment, transit-oriented development (TOD), concourse construction, etc. There has been a growing focus on building self-sustaining railway stations with high standards of safety and comfort, and user-friendly passenger amenities. The development of stations and provision of passenger amenities are primarily funded under Plan Head – 53 “Customer Amenities” in budget allocations. For 2024-25, a substantial capital outlay of Rs 155 billion has been allocated under this plan – an increase from Rs 134 billion in 2023-24 and more than double the total expenditure of Rs 68 billion incurred over the three-year period 2020-23.
Moreover, the Centre has laid the foundation stone for 554 railway stations under the ABSS, to be developed at an investment of Rs 190 billion. Further, Indian Railways (IR) has equipped 597 stations with disability-friendly amenities such as lifts and escalators for easier travel and access to platforms.
Construction components of the redeveloped stations
Transit-oriented development
As per Union Budget 2023-24, a Rs 100 billion urban infrastructure development fund has been established. This fund was set up to support urban planning reforms, with a focus on implementing TOD initiatives. For example, segregated entry and exit have been implemented at Rani Kamlapati Railway Station to connect both sides of the city, an elevated road network has been built around Ahmedabad Railway Station, and a GSRTC bus station has been built close to Surat Railway Station. TOD can be viewed as the backbone of urban development, and the railways have, over the years, dominated urban land in India. TOD focuses on integrating land use and transportation planning for the development of sustainable urban growth centres by, typically, including a central transit stop surrounded by a high-density mixed-use area, with lower-density areas spreading out from this centre. TOD implementation faces several challenges such as land acquisition, the requirement of enormous upfront capital and the varied time spans of the projects, due to which the concept is still evolving.
Concourse construction
The concourse is the main entrance area, which boarding passengers interact with first. It ideally provides general information, enquiry desks, unreserved waiting areas, modern amenities and access to various platforms. In a bid to enhance the passenger experience, station are being designed to reflect local art and culture, while preserving heritage. Digital signage, real-time passenger information systems, smart ticketing solutions and mobile apps are also being deployed. IR is trying to achieve its net zero goals by designing “air concourses” that are naturally cooled through airflow, and implementing skylights to save energy. Moreover, solar panels are being installed on rooftops. The focus is on incorporating green infrastructure such as roadside trees, green roofs, green façades, rain gardens and permeable pavements. Key challenges in concourse construction include high passenger traffic at suburban stations, limited space availability and platform encroachments. Stations featuring concourses include Gandhinagar (Gujarat), Gomti Nagar (Uttar Pradesh) and Belagavi (Karnataka).
Projects nearing completion
The redevelopment of six stations, namely, Rani Kamlapati, Habibganj (Madhya Pradesh); Gandhinagar (Gujarat); Sir M. Visvesvaraya, Bengaluru (Karnataka); Belagavi (Karnataka); Ayodhya (Phase I) (Uttar Pradesh) and Gomti Nagar (Uttar Pradesh) has been completed so far. A total of eight projects are slated to be completed by the end of 2024, subject to progress made.
Key challenges and potential solutions
Station redevelopment faces a slew of regulatory, operational and design challenges. Regulatory challenges such as delays in land acquisition and approvals and limited block time; operational challenges such as heavy passenger movement, delays and cost escalation; and design challenges such as the presence of overhead high tension lines, shifting of excavated soil across the track, relocation of existing underground services and integration of multiple planning and design functions within a limited space, make this arduous task even more taxing, leading to extended timelines and cost overruns.
Setting up special purpose vehicles that allow dedicated management, streamlining the process and enhancing accountability, pre-planning with enough time spent on the detailed project report, customising track-based construction equipment for erection and shifting of equipment and materials across platforms are potential solutions for the aforementioned issues. The government needs to focus on building skill development centres to train workers for railway projects, and promoting collaboration in innovation and knowledge development between IR, contractors and consultants by implementing new policy measures.
Conclusion
The massive increase in the allocation of funds towards station redevelopment and the enhancement of passenger experience over the past few years is in line with the central government’s vision of transforming these stations to be on par with international standards. Moreover, the redeveloped stations are incorporating various sustainability measures, in line with IR’s goal of becoming a net zero carbon emitter by 2030. IR seems to have chosen the right track to establish railways as the preferred means of travel.