25 June,2019 09:44 PM IST | | Rajendra B. Aklekar
In its latest project, Western Railway has given a modern makeover to the 95-year-old station building and circulating area of Valsad station.
The project was aimed not only at upgrading the station but also to enhance passenger amenities which the station lacked for a long time. Western Railway has now revamped the station with modern waiting rooms, better toilet facilities, proper parking areas, newly built ticket booking office, etc. along with green initiatives like rainwater harvesting and a beautiful vertical garden.
According to Ravinder Bhakar - Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, Valsad station is an A-Class station and an important one on the Virar-Surat Section of the Mumbai Division of Western Railway.
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The daily footfall of passengers is approximately 26,000 since almost all Passenger and Mail Express trains halt here. This flourishing industrial city with stunning sea coast in close proximity to the station attracts a large number of tourists. Even though the station building of Valsad station is almost 95 years old, during the latest redevelopment, Western Railway was able to maintain the charm of this beautiful old station of formerly known Balsar.
The station building of Valsad being almost a century old, the façade of the building had lost its aesthetic view and multiple flaws were visible all over the premises. Other problems such as narrow platforms, inadequate space for queuing at the ticket booking counter and concourse hall, overcrowded circulating area due to dearth of planned management, existing passenger amenities of Waiting Halls being merely satisfactory, no planned parking spaces for vehicles, etc., were some of the crucial problems the station area was facing for a long time. It had become essential to redevelop the whole station premises in a well planned manner keeping in mind with the basic essential amenities for passengers/commuters, proper drainage and sewerage system to flush out the water and avert the circumstances of waterlogging and eliminate the stinky environment with aroma, smooth flow of traffic with spacious rigid road pavement and create lush green circulating area with nature flora.
Under the soft upgradation of Valsad station, Western Railway has provided modern waiting halls, toilets, LED lights, development of the circulating area, station façade, platforms and Divyangjan facilities. Following are the various works carried out by Western Railway which has transformed Valsad station:
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