Redevelopment of Mumbai railway stations to surge ahead

People at Andheri station. File pic/Satej Shinde

Even as existing city railway stations are being upgraded and redeveloped in a phase-wise manner, Mumbai will get additional funds to improve and further upgrade more existing stations, starting April under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. The funds will be at par with the requirement of the new stations identified.

Indian Railways has nationally identified 1,275 railway stations, including in the border areas, for redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.

"The scheme includes development of stations on a continuous basis with a long-term approach. It involves preparation of master plans and their implementation in phases to improve amenities at the stations like station access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lift/escalators as necessary, cleanliness and free Wi-Fi. There will be kiosks for local products through schemes like ‘One Station One Product', better passenger information systems, executive lounges, nominated spaces for business meetings, landscaping, etc. keeping in view the necessity at each station," an official said.

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Of the 1,275 stations across the country, there are about 123 in Maharashtra and 32 in Mumbai, including Andheri, Bandra Terminus, Borivli, Byculla, Charni Road, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Chinchpokli, Dadar, Diva, Grant Road, Jogeshwari, Kalyan, Kanjur Marg, Kurla, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Lower Parel, Malad, Marine Lines, Matunga, Mumbai Central, Mumbra, Parel, Prabhadevi, Sandhurst Road, Shelu, Shahad, Thakurli, Thane, Titwala, Wadala Road, Vidyavihar and Vikhroli.

"The scheme also envisions improvement of the building, integrating the station with both its sides (East and West), multimodal integration, amenities for Divyangjans, sustainable and environment friendly solutions, provision of ballastless tracks, ‘roof plazas' as per necessity, phasing and feasibility and creation of city centres at the station in the long term," he said.

32
No. of stations in Mumbai and suburbs