Railways earmarks Rs 13,000-cr for station upgrades under Amrit Bharat scheme
The Railway Ministry has announced its decision to modernize and redevelop around 1,300 railway stations at a cost of Rs 13,000 crore under the Amrit Bharat scheme. The Ministry aims to begin most of the work in the current fiscal year. The Amrit Bharat scheme will redevelop 1,275 stations on a priority basis, with at least the smaller stations set to be upgraded within the year. Rather than using the public-private partnership route, the Ministry intends to fund the project using its own capital expenditure. Land parcels around the stations will be monetized by leasing them out to private players for commercial development. These land parcels will become a source of revenue once the stations are redeveloped. The upgradation plan for each station includes improved customer amenities, such as better accessibility, toilets, lifts, and escalators as necessary. The upgraded stations will also offer free Wi-Fi, kiosks for selling local products through schemes like ‘One Station One Product,' and the construction of executive lounges. Access to station buildings will be improved, and rooftop redevelopment will be undertaken wherever possible. Master plans are being prepared for each of these stations.