Complete Chandigarh railway station redevelopment by April 2024, authorities told
He asked the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) to expedite the work and get it finished by April 2024 so that by May, the station can be opened in its new avatar. The Chandigarh project was dubbed as a lighthouse project and the redevelopment of railway stations in other cities will be carried out on these lines.
: Member, railway board (infrastructure), RN Sunkar visited the Chandigarh railway station during the weekend to inspect the ongoing redevelopment work.
He asked the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) to expedite the work and get it finished by April 2024 so that by May, the station can be opened in its new avatar. The Chandigarh project was dubbed as a lighthouse project and the redevelopment of railway stations in other cities will be carried out on these lines.
The station buildings on both Chandigarh side and Panchkula side were inspected along with parking development, concourse and foot over bridges. Officials of the RLDA and the Ambala Division of railways were present.
The work is being undertaken by the RLDA. As per some new details of the project released by RLDA officials, the parking area of the railway station which was earlier 13,720 square meters will now be increased to 24,515 square meters, almost double. Over the platforms, the area which will be covered has also been increased from 13,291 square meters to 17,000 square meters. Area under roads will increase from 2,000 square meters to 37,745 square meters.
The capacity of the solar power plant at Chandigarh railway station will be increased by over 7 times, from 190 kW to 1350 kW. An air concourse is planned which will connect the second floors of the Panchkula and Chandigarh buildings on both sides. It will be used as a waiting area and retail area for departing services as a city centre for the public. Two foot over bridges each 20 meters wide which will be used by the arriving passengers and will be connected with the station building. A thorough roof with 180 meters length and 14,469 square meters area will cover this entire area and 30 elevators and 10 escalators will be installed. Earlier there were two elevators and eight escalators.
On August 6, Chandigarh railway station was among 508 railway stations the foundation for which was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a virtual ceremony. In Chandigarh, an event was organised with Punjab governor and UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit and Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar in attendance. The Chandigarh project is being developed at a cost of ₹511 crore. The work is being executed by RLDA under the supervision of the Ambala division officials. The project had suffered multiple delays ever since it was first approved in 2014.
