World-class Indian Railways Bijwasan station soon! Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation or IRSDC is all set to redevelop the Bijwasan railway station in Delhi into a global-standards transport hub. The station is being redeveloped using the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode. The revamping of the station would be undertaken at an estimated cost of Rs 270.82 crore over a period of 3 years. This is part of Piyush Goyal-led Indian Railways plan to provide airport-like facilities at railway stations and also earn non-fare revenue through retail spaces.

Bijwasan railway station revamp: Top 10 facts

  1. The new Bijwasan station is planned to be equipped with high-comfort, modern facilities and passenger amenities at a moderate cost.
  2. Following the airport model, the station will have separate arrival and departure areas. For the departing passengers, the station will have an airport-like waiting area, also incorporating its comfort and capacity. The waiting area will be developed using the airspace of the railway station, with a concourse built above the railway tracks. The area of this concourse is planned to be 11,520 square metres. Meanwhile, arriving passengers will use the subways to exit the railway station. This will also lead to a conflict-free flow of passengers.
  3. The station will be conveniently accessible and it will have a user-friendly design. This will be coupled with a pleasant surrounding environment.
  4. Developed by the IRSDC, the station will be suitable for Indian conditions and will have an environment-friendly design, with adequate capacity for future growth.
  5. Like an airport, the station will also have shops, food stalls and other facilities to ensure quality waiting time.
  6. The station redevelopment will also include the planning of space in the logical order of requirement of passengers. To tackle the issue of the slow movement of passengers within the station, the redevelopment plan includes the inclusion of adequate escalators and stairs for vertical circulation.
  7. Signages, maps and train information systems will be in place to guide the passengers and modern train operation and maintenance infrastructure will be incorporated during the revamp.
  8. For passengers with special needs, the station will be 100 per cent friendly for the differently-abled. Moreover, the station will be built to ensure that the movement of physically challenged and elderly passengers is free of any barriers. Apart from that, Tactile and Braille guidance system will be in place to assist the visually impaired passengers.
  9. The station will be redeveloped keeping in mind the goal of integration with the public transport system.
  10. Bijwasan railway station will have a security system which will be integrated with modern technology. Moreover, the station will also be redeveloped to ensure emergency evacuation in case of any fire or accident.

Meanwhile, the Habibganj railway station in Madhya Pradesh is all set to be the first world-class railway station in India, followed by the Gandhinagar Railway Station in Gujarat. Some of the other stations which have been chosen for the project are Anand Vihar Terminal, Chandigarh, CSMT, New Delhi railway station etc. The project aims to revamp major stations across the country to enhance passenger experience during train journeys.