NEW DELHI: After transforming the Bhopal railway station into a world-class facility with airport like services, 21 other prominent stations, including two in the national capital, are in for a similar makeover.
The Rail Land Development Authority is set to float tenders for the redevelopment of the New Delhi and the Bijwasan railway stations. "A detailed project report is almost ready and tenders are soon to be floated," said Railways' additional director general, PR, Rajiv Jain.
The New Delhi Railway Station will be given on lease for 45 years to an agency that will redevelop it further. Two flyovers will link up with the station from the Connaught Place side for facilitating uninterrupted flow of passengers. The station is the country's largest and second busiest facility with more than 4.5 lakh footfalls daily.
There will be two separate arrival and departure lounges at the redeveloped New Delhi Railway Station, Jain said. Besides, there will be 40 bus halts on the Paharganj side and 51 bus halts specially designed with ample spaces for unrestricted movements of buses at the Ajmeri Gate side.
The architectural buildings of both New Delhi and Bijwasan stations would be examples of signature-style constructions exhibiting confluences of history and modern Indian cultures.
The departure lobby of New Delhi station would cover 9,343 sq m, arrival lobby 10,737 sq m and the waiting lobby 11,905 sq m, in addition to sprawling circulating areas on 26,033 sq m. In total, the station will cover 61,152 sq meters. "All buildings will be redeveloped with green building norms," Jain said.
Besides, redevelopment of the station and its surroundings will be carried out like in state-of-the-art commercial areas in PPP mode. This station redevelopment is listed as a 'key project' in PMO-monitored projects.