Kolkata, April 1, 2026

 

In a written reply to the question raised in the Lok Sabha today by MP Shri Bapi Haldar on the details of the number of stations sanctioned, developed, functional under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in West Bengal, the Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that Ministry of Railways has launched Amrit Bharat Station Scheme for redevelopment of stations with a long-term approach. The scheme involves preparation of master plans and their implementation in phases to improve the stations. The master planning includes:

•           Improvement of access to station and circulating areas

•           Integration of station with both sides of city

•           Improvement of station building

•           Improvement of waiting halls, toilets, sitting arrangement, water booths

•           Provision of wider foot over bridge/air concourse commensurate with passenger traffic

•           Provision of lift/escalators/ramp

•           Improvement /Provision of platform surface and cover over platforms

•           Provision of kiosks for local products through schemes like ‘One Station One Product’

•           Parking areas, Multimodal integration

•           Amenities for Divyangjans

•           Better passenger information systems

•           Provision of executive lounges, nominated spaces for business meetings, landscaping, etc. keeping in view the necessity at each station.

On the question raised by the MP regarding whether it is a fact that work has been completed in only three out of 101 sanctioned stations the criteria adopted by the Government for selection of stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS) and if so, the reasons for delay in completion of the remaining stations, the Minister replied that, so far, 1338 stations have been identified for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, out of which 102 stations are located in West Bengal. The names of stations identified for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in West Bengal are as following:

Adra, Alipurduar Jn., Aluabari Road, Ambikakalna, Anara, Andal Jn., Andul, Asansol Jn., Azimganj, Bagnan, Bally, Balurghat, Bandel Jn., Bangaon Jn., Bankura, Barabhum, Barasat, Barddhaman, Barrackpore, Belda, Berhampore Court, Bethuadahari, Bhaluka Road, Binnaguri, Bishnupur, Bolpur Shantiniketan, Burnpur, Canning, Chandannagar, Chandpara, Chandrakona Road, Dalgaon, Dalkhola, Dankuni, Dhulian Ganga, Dhupguri, Digha, Dinhata, Dum Dum Jn., Falakata, Garbeta, Gede, Haldia, Haldibari, Harishchandrapur, Hasimara, Hijli, Howrah Jn, Jalpaiguri, Jalpaiguri Road, Jangipur Road, Jhalida, Jhargram, Joychandi Pahar Jn, Kaliyaganj, Kalyani, Kalyani Ghoshpara, Kamakhyaguri, Katwa Jn, Khagraghat Road, Kharagpur Jn, Kolkata, Krishnanagar City Jn, Kumedpur Jn, Madhukunda, Madhyamgram, Malda Court, Malda Town, Mecheda, Medinipur (Midnapore), Nabadwip Dham, Naihati Jn, New Alipurduar, New Cooch  Behar, New  Farakka Jn, New Jalpaiguri Jn, New Mal Jn, Ondagram, Panagarh, Pandabeswar, Panskura Jn, Purulia Jn, Rampurhat Jn, Ranaghat, Sainthia Jn, Salboni, Samsi, Santragachi, Sealdah, Shalimar, Shantipur, Sheoraphuli Jn., Shrirampur, Siliguri Jn., Sitarampur, Siuri, Sonarpur Jn., Suisa, Tamluk, Tarakeswar, Tulin, Uluberia

Completed stations are as follows, said the Minister:

Development works at railway stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in West Bengal have been taken up at a good pace. The detail of stations completed in West Bengal is as given below:

Anara, Barabhum, Haldia, Haldibari, Joychandi Pahar Jn, Kalyani Ghoshpara, Kamakhyaguri, Panagarh, Siuri, Tamluk .

The Minister added that the activities for development at other stations have also been taken up at good pace and progress of some of the stations is as given below:

•           Aluabari Road station: The works of extension of platform no. 2, platform surfacing at platform no. 1 and 2, approach road and boundary wall have been completed. The works of station building, platform shelter and 12 m Foot Over Bridge have been taken up.

•           Dalkhola station: The works of platform surfacing, platform shelter and 12 m Foot Over Bridge have been completed. The works of circulating area, approach road and lift have been taken up.

•           Balurghat station: The works of improvement of station building, portico, extension of platform, waiting room, circulating area and approach road have been completed. The works of lift and 12 m Foot Over Bridge have been taken up.

•           Jalpaiguri station: The works of extension and platform surfacing of platform no. 1, platform shelter, boundary wall and 12 m Foot Over Bridge have been completed. The works of circulating area, lift and escalator have been taken up.

•           New Jalpaiguri station: The works of parcel/Rail Mail Service office, structural work of departure building up to fourth floor, arrival-01 building and arrival-02 building, podium parking-01 have been completed. The structural work of the departure building of the fifth and sixth floor, elevated road, podium parking-02, air concourse and finishing work of arrival-01building have been taken up.

Further, development / redevelopment / upgradation / modernisation of stations on Indian Railways is a continuous and ongoing process and works in this regard are undertaken as per requirement, subject to inter-se priority and availability of funds, Shri Vaishnaw said. Development / redevelopment / upgradation / modernisation of a station is carried out based on the category of station/condition/traffic handled etc.

According to the Minister, development / upgradation of stations is complex in nature involving safety of passengers & trains and requires various statutory clearances such as fire clearance, heritage, tree cutting, airport clearance etc. The progress also gets affected due to brownfield related challenges such as shifting of utilities (involving water/sewage lines, optical fibre cables, gas pipe lines, power/signal cables, etc.), infringements, operation of trains without hindering passenger movement, speed restrictions due to works carried out in close proximity of tracks and high voltage power lines, etc. and these factors affect the completion time.

Development / upgradation / modernisation of stations including under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme Shri Vaishnaw said, is generally funded under Plan Head-53 ‘Customer Amenities’. The details of allocation and expenditure under Plan Head-53 are maintained Zonal Railway-wise and not work-wise, or station-wise or state-wise. West Bengal is covered under the jurisdiction of four railway zones, namely, Eastern Railway, Northeast Frontier Railway, South Eastern Railway and Metro Railway. For these zones, an allocation of ₹ 1,184 crore (Revised Estimate) has been made for the financial year 2025-26, out of which an expenditure (up to February, 2026) of ₹ 1,231 crore has been incurred so far.

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SSS....

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