Expect the Chandigarh Railway Station to bear a whole new look and feel when you visit the station next time. Well, not that soon, but the Chandigarh Railway Station is indeed set for a world-class revamp in the near future. RK Kulshrestha, General Manager(GM), Northern Railway, said so during his recent inspection of the city station. Kulshreshtha was on his first visit to the Chandigarh railway Station since taking charge as the GM, last January.
Development on the lines of International Airports
Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation Limited (IRSDC), the executing agency of the World-Class Station project, is planning to develop the station to the International Standards. The plan includes having segregated arrivals and departures point much like International Airports, separate waiting lounges, added security, entertainment & commercial facilities, and food courts.
Special focus on Disabled-friendly Rly Station
The new facilities coming up at the station will be constructed keeping in mind the special needs of the disabled commuters. Making the station disabled-friendly will include separately marked parking areas, special toilets, bathrooms, wheelchair and ramp for easy entry and exit, special low-level ticket counter and a dedicated helpline number. The project also includes installation of 2 lifts and 4 new escalators, to make it convenient for the disabled and elderly commuters to switch from one platform to another.
New Platform
The double-lining of the Dappar-Chandigarh track is expected to be completed by July this year, after several missed deadlines. Once the new line is commissioned, the all new platform number 6 of the Chandigarh Railway Station will be opened for use. Expect several new trains originating and halting at the station once the new line is opened.
New High-Speed Trains from Chandigarh Railway Station
Kulshreshtha also added that the project to run Semi-High speed and High-speed Tejas trains to and from Chandigarh is also in advanced stages. The Tejas train between Chandigarh and Delhi will run at 130 kmph fro Chandigarh to Ambala and at 110 kmph from Ambala till Delhi For Tejas train, the Ambala Division has sought approval from the Railway Secretary. Semi high-speed project feasibility report under consideration.
Digital Push for Chandigarh Railway Station
The authorities are also planning to make the station go completely cashless, by introducing digital payment modes at the parcel office, as well as the reserved and unreserved ticketing counters.
The revamping of the station has been planned in two phases. In the first phases, a number of passenger-centric amenities will come up at the station. This includes the construction of a 5-story building, which will host new facilities like a bank, a food court, cloak rooms and a VIP waiting lounge. The station will be commercially developed in the second phase of revamping. The project is expected to be completed by 2019, when the station will bear a whole new look, with a complete range of facilities and amenities, on the lines of an international airport.
The project is expected to be completed by 2019, when the station will bear a whole new look, with a complete range of facilities and amenities, on the lines of an international airport.
