SRINAGAR: The Ministry of Railways has said 1,337 stations across India have been earmarked for redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, with modernisation work already completed at 155 stations, according to a written reply by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
The scheme forms part of a long-term overhaul of the country’s rail infrastructure and is built around detailed master plans implemented in phases. Core upgrades include improved station access, integration with city surroundings, revamped buildings, expanded circulating areas, upgraded waiting halls and toilets, wider foot overbridges and air concourses, lifts, escalators and ramps, as well as enhanced platform surfaces and coverings.
The ministry said stations will also receive better passenger information systems, multimodal transport integration, parking zones, kiosks under the ‘One Station One Product’ initiative, amenities for Divyangjans, executive lounges, business meeting spaces and landscaping. Long-term goals include sustainable design, environment-friendly solutions and even transforming select stations into city-centre hubs.
For 2025–26, Rs 12,118 crore has been allocated under Plan Head-53 ‘Customer Amenities’, with Rs 7,253 crore spent up to October. The ministry said expenditure is maintained zonal-wise rather than station-wise. Fifteen stations are also being explored for redevelopment through the Public Private Partnership mode, with further expansion contingent on outcomes.
Vaishnaw said redevelopment remains a continuous, requirement-based process, with higher-category stations receiving priority. He noted that progress is slowed by mandatory clearances—fire, heritage, environmental and airport restrictions—and by challenges unique to brownfield projects, such as relocating utilities, managing train operations, and working near high-voltage lines and active tracks. Owing to these complexities, no fixed completion timeline can be provided.
The minister stressed that heritage structures would be preserved through site-specific measures and said technological upgrades would continue to “democratise” access to modern rail facilities while generating economic and employment opportunities.
