Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav shared a glimpse of the Ayodhya railway station redevelopment project, on Saturday. The Ayodhya railway station, which is a major hub for pilgrims and tourists visiting the holy city, is undergoing a massive redevelopment project.
The project, which is expected to be completed by 15 January 2024, will transform the station into a modern and eco-friendly facility, with a design inspired by the Ram Mandir.
Amenities and Aesthetics
The new station building will have a triple-storeyed structure, with a total area of 3,645 sqm, and a capacity to handle 49,400 passengers daily. The building will have all modern passenger amenities, such as shopping malls, cafeterias, recreational facilities, parking lots, food plazas, shops for puja needs, cloakroom, sick room, and infant care rooms. The building will also have provision for separate arrival and departure of passengers and will be IGBC certified-green station building.
The building will have triple-height atriums with skylights to facilitate natural light in the building, and waiting halls at both ground and first floor level. The building will also have retiring rooms, ladies dormitories, gents dormitories, staff quarters, and a sewage treatment plant. The building will have a second entry and an extended porch over the drop-off zone. The building will have landscaping of the front circulating area and a large circulating area.
Improved and enhanced platforms and bridges
The platforms and bridges of the station will also be improved and enhanced, to provide better connectivity and convenience to the passengers. The station will have 12 lifts, 14 escalators, two 6-m wide foot over-bridges, and a large air concourse over platforms 4/5. The platforms will also have improved signages and lighting.
The redevelopment work is going on full speed to complete the station before the installation of the idol of Ram Lalla at the Ayodhya temple on 22 January 2024. The project is being executed by RITES, a subsidiary of Indian Railways, at an estimated cost of over Rs 240 crore. The project aims to enhance the station’s capacity, facilities, and aesthetics, in view of the religious and cultural importance of Ayodhya.