Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually laid the foundation stone for the development of 50 railway stations across four states of South Central Railway (SCR) under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS) at Hyderabad Railway Station on Sunday.
In his speech, Prime Minister Modi expressed that India is at the beginning of its golden age and there is new energy, inspiration, and resolutions. He mentioned that around 508 railway stations will undergo redevelopment, which will benefit all Indians. This redevelopment will revolutionize rail infrastructure in the country and enhance comfort and convenience for passengers. Special attention has also been given to ensure that the design of the railway stations aligns with local culture, heritage, and architecture.
According to SCR, in Phase I of ABSS, the foundation stone has been laid for 21 stations in Telangana, 15 in Andhra Pradesh, 13 in Maharashtra, and one in Karnataka. The estimated cost for these stations is nearly Rs 2,079 crore. Some of the stations included in this phase are Adilabad, Basar, Begumpet, Bhadrachalam Road, Hafizpet, Hi-Tech City, Uppuguda, Hyderabad (Nampally), Jangaon, Kamareddy, Karimnagar, Kazipet Junction, Khammam, Madhira, Malakpet, Malkajgiri, Mancherial, Nizamabad, and Ramagundam.
The ABSS policy aims to modernize railway stations with a long-term vision and continuous development. It includes the implementation of various critical elements as per a master plan to meet the increasing needs and patronage of the stations. The redeveloped stations will have state-of-the-art facilities, improved lighting, better circulation areas, upgraded parking spaces, infrastructure friendly for people with disabilities, and eco-friendly buildings with the use of green energy.
