For the next three years, the main road in the Kalupur area, passing through the front of Ahmedabad railway station, has been closed for all kinds of movement, The Indian Express reported.
Due to this, the BRTS bus route has seen changes. The Western Railway (WR) will be announcing full-scale diversions of trains to other railway stations as tracks will also undergo renovation and train routes will be shut. The WR will announce the diversions over the next couple of weeks.
In a series of directives issued on Wednesday, the Ahmedabad City Police shut down the road to all traffic, while the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation implemented changes to bus routes.
Kalupur main road closure: Traffic impacted
As per a notification from the Commissioner of Police, the stretch between the Kalupur circle and the Sarangpur circle will be closed due to the demolition of the present building of Ahmedabad railway station and the construction of a new set of buildings and related infrastructure. The road will be closed from September 11, 2024, through September 10, 2027.
The notification also said that those who violate the order will be booked under section 223 of the BNS and section 131 of the Gujarat Police Act. While the 200-meter stretch of road is closed for the next three years, traffic will be rerouted.
Alternate routes
- To access the railway station from Sarangpur Circle, use Panchkuva Road or the Moti Mahal Hotel Road.
- A one-way road will be available for traffic traveling from Kalupur Circle towards Sarangpur, Raipur, Kankaria, and Gita Mandir.
- The old entry gate of the railway station will be open for both incoming and outgoing passengers. Inside the premises, a new foot-over bridge and a 30-meter stretch of road connecting to the main road have been constructed.
BRTS diversion
On Wednesday, the BRTS Janmarg administration announced changes to bus routes due to the closure of the main road. The Civil Hospital Cabin bus station will be inaccessible, prompting adjustments to the routes of seven buses.
The affected routes are:
Route No. 2: SP Ring Road to Bhadaj Circle
Route No. 8: Naroda Gam to Iskon Crossroads
Route No. 7: Narol to Zundal Circle
Route No. 14: Narol Gam to Sanand Circle
Route No. 101: RTO Circular
Route No. 201: RTO Anti-Circular
Route No. 18: Civil Hospital to Kalupur
Train diversions by Nov-Dec 2024
As per the Indian Express report, trains will be diverted to stations like Sabarmati, Gandhinagar, and others by November or December of 2024, a senior official said. However, the Senior PRO of the Western Railway (WR) Pradeep Sharma said that no decision has been taken on the matter.
Another senior official confirmed that plans are now being developed to adjust the timetables and revise the routes of trains passing through Kalupur railway station, which are expected to be impacted by the upcoming renovation work on platforms and tracks.
Ahmedabad railway station renovation
The Ahmedabad railway station gets the biggest footfall in Gujarat. It is on its way to be redeveloped in 36 months. Arpan Avasthi, the DGM of Projects in Ahmedabad for the Railway Land Development Authority (RLDA), stated earlier this year that the project is expected to be ready for passenger traffic by July 2027. The development will be carried out at a cost of Rs 2,379 crore.
The main station building will feature a concourse level at 10 meters and a mezzanine level above it, with direct connectivity to the railway tracks.
In April 2024, an elevated road corridor was opened, linking the Kalupur and Saraspur Railway Over-Bridges (ROB) to alleviate traffic congestion on the main Kalupur road in front of the railway station.
The largest structure on the premises will be a Multi-Modal Transport Hub (MMTH) located on the Kalupur side. This hub will have 2 basements and 16 floors. The first six floors will be dedicated to parking, while the upper five floors will house railway offices and facilities, including “Yatri Nivas” for passenger amenities.
Additionally, two parcel buildings are planned—one on each side of the railway station, Kalupur and Saraspur. A tunnel will be constructed to connect these buildings.