Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 508 railway stations today (August 6) across the country via video conferencing. The entire Railways machinery is working to pull off this mammoth logistical exercises, slated to be the biggest foundation stone-laying programme in one go. These also include stations in the northeast such as Assam's Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Lumding, Meghalaya's Mendipathar, among others. Bihar's Muzaffarpur, Bapudham Motihari, as well as Shornur and Kasargod in Kerala are also in the list.
The redevelopment project, which will cost Rs 24,470 crore, will install modern passenger amenities apart from ensuring a well-designed traffic circulation, inter-modal integration and well-designed signage for the guidance of passengers, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said, adding the design of station buildings will be inspired by local culture, heritage and architecture.Noting that prime minister has always said the railways is the preferred mode of transportation for people, the PMO underlines that he has prioritised the importance of providing world-class amenities at railway stations.
Guided by this vision, the 'Amrit Bharat Station Scheme' was launched to redevelop 1,309 stations, it said. As part of this scheme, the foundation stone for redevelopment of 508 stations is being laid by the prime minister."These stations will be redeveloped at a cost of more than Rs 24,470 crore. Master Plans are being prepared for 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 overall urban development of the city, centred around the railway station," the PMO said.