20 railway stations in Jharkhand to be redeveloped, PM Modi lays foundation stone

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually laid the foundation for the redevelopment project of 20 railway stations in Jharkhand on Sunday.

This initiative is part of the Centre’s ambitious Amrit Bharat Stations Scheme (ABSS), under which redevelopment work has begun on 508 stations in 27 states and Union Territories (UTs).

During the event, the Prime Minister shared details about the project, worth an estimated ₹25,000 crore.

Modi highlighted that 1,309 stations would be developed under the ABSS in India, with work on 508 stations starting Sunday.

“All these stations will be a symbol of India’s glorious heritage,” said Modi.

Addressing the function in Ranchi’s Hatia, Jharkhand governor CP Radhakrishnan said Modi was fully committed to the all-round development of the nation.

“He is aware of the people’s problems, needs and wishes from the remotest of the places in the country. The ambitious redevelopment project of Hatia railway station in Ranchi at ₹355 crore, Piska and another 18 stations in Jharkhand is proof enough of his vision,” said Radhakrishnan.

He also pointed out that the PM’s concern for mothers and sisters had resulted in initiatives like providing cooking gas to every household, homes under PM Awas Yojna, and the Kisan Samman Nidhi.

“Swacchha Bharat Abhiyan has made railway stations, cities and villages clean. Even foreigners are now praising our railway stations for their cleanliness, beauty and modern facilities. Under the leadership of the PM, India has become the fifth-largest economy in the world and will soon become the third-largest economy. The number of Vande Bharat Express is also continuously increasing,” said the governor.

Railway officials said the stations will be developed to showcase the grandeur of Indian heritage and diversity and will be equipped with new state-of-the-art passenger amenities.

The planned facilities under the ABSS include lifts, escalators, improved lighting, better-circulating areas, upgraded parking spaces, Divyangjan-friendly infrastructure, and environment-friendly buildings using green energy. Additionally, ticket booking counters will be available on both sides of the stations.

“Standard elements of station design will have developing stations as city centres, integration of both sides of city, improvement and redevelopment of the station building with restrooms, passenger lounge, well-designed traffic circulation and inter-model integration, suitable property development in the master plans, landscaping and showcasing local art and culture,” said Aditya Choudhary, chief public relation officer, South Eastern Railway.

According to the railway officials, ₹355 crore will be spent on the redevelopment of Hatia, ₹27 crore on Piska under the Ranchi division, ₹30 crore each on Rajgangpur (Odisha) and Rajkharsawan, ₹27 crore on Manoharpur, ₹16 crore on Barbil, ₹17 crore on Baripada (Odisha) under Chakradhar division ₹31 crore on Ghatsila and ₹23 crore on Jaleswar under Kharagpur division and ₹33.50 crore on Bokaro Steel City under Adra division.

Additionally, ₹26.50 crore will be spent on Chandrapura, ₹32.40 crore on Netaji Subhash Bose Gomoh railway station, ₹26.90 crore on Katras, ₹26.30 crore on Nagar Utari, ₹25.50 crore on Garhwa Town, ₹24.50 crore on Garhwa Road, ₹28.10 crore on Paharpur, ₹30.40 crore on Parasnath, ₹28.10 crore on Hazaribagh Road, ₹30.30 crore on Koderma, ₹24.50 crore on Latehar, ₹29.20 crore on Daltonganj, ₹32.60 crore on Barkakana in Jharkhand and ₹28.50 crore will be spent on redeveloping Renukut railway station in Uttar Pradesh under Dhanbad division.