Southern Railway planning to redevelop 90 stations

CHENNAI: Commuters will get a better experience at Guindy, Chennai Beach, Park, Mambalam, Gummidipundi and some other stations as Southern Railway is planning to redevelop around 90 stations in the coming years under a new scheme.

The stations will have broader approach roads, lighting, Wi-Fi, roof plazas, retail space, better flooring, smooth walls, better furniture at platforms, waiting halls and retiring rooms and amenities for the disabled.

Southern Railway has given a consultancy contract to development of the stations and a masterplan will be prepared to ensure better passenger experience under a scheme called Amrit Bharat station scheme. The passenger amenities available at the stations from widening of approach roads to the stations to facilities available in the stations will be improved.

"Around 15 railway stations have been identified in each of the six divisions in the zone. After the master plan is prepared, the stations will be developed in a phased manner," said S Guganesan, chief public relations officer of Southern Railway.

He said that the plan is to develop the stations on a long term basis as per the patronage of the stations. Work would be carried out under customer amenities plan head sanctioned from time to time, he added.

The aim is to create roof plazas and city centres at the station in long run, cost efficient improvement to facades, provision of wide, well-lit aesthetically pleasing entrance porches, improve circulation or provision of structures to improve the size of waiting halls, executive lounges and space for business meetings, parking areas, improved lighting, properly designed signages, cafeterias and others.

There is also a move to carry out necessary liaison with local authorities for necessary improvements by local authorities in their areas.

"There will be landscaping, setting up of green patches and use of local art and culture to create a pleasant experience for the station users. Professionals will be engaged to do the work," he added.

The scheme aims at relocating redundant or old buildings in a cost efficient manner so that space is released for higher priority passenger related activities so that future development can be carried out, said a statement.

The project will also avoid creation of new buildings other than those required for relocation of old structures or relocation of structures.

Station approaches will also be improved to ensure smooth access by widening of roads, removal of unwanted structures, properly designed signages, dedicated pedestrian pathways, well planned parking areas, improved lighting and others.

The project also will develop a second entry of the stations and circulating area shall be improved as per the needs of the station. Railways is also planning to ensure that the local body will include space for approach roads to the other entrance of the station in the masterplan of the local body development.