Enhancing Passenger Experience: 57 Railway Stations In Odisha To Be Upgraded Under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme

As part of the Amrit Bharat station scheme, the Indian Railways is currently modernising 57 railway stations in Odisha. This initiative aims to improve the facilities for passengers at selected railway stations in the East Coast Railway (ECoR) zone.

In a recent announcement, the East Coast Railway revealed the list of railway stations that will undergo upgrading and modernisation. This project not only aims to address congestion issues but also aims to provide open spaces and enhance the aesthetic appeal of the station areas.

List of 57 railway stations

The railway stations identified for improvement include Angul, Badampahar, Balangir, Balasore, Balugaon, Barbil, Bargarh Road, Baripada, Barpali, Belpahar, Betnoti, Bhadrak, Bhawanipatna, Bhubaneswar, Bimlagarh, Brahmapur, Brajrajnagar, Chatrapur, Cuttack, Damanjodi, Dhenkanal, Gunupur, Harishanker Road, Hirakud, Jajpur-Keonjhar road, Jaleswar, Jaroli, Jeypore, Jharsuguda, Jharsuguda Road.

They also include Kantabanji, Kendujhargarh, Kesinga, Khariar Road, Khurda road, Koraput, Lingaraj Temple Road, Mancheswar, Meramandali, Muniguda, New Bhubaneswar, Panposh, Paradeep, Parlakhemundi, Puri, Raghunathpur, Rairakhol, Rairangpur, Rajgangpur, Rayagada, Rourkela, Sakhi Gopal, Sambalpur, Sambalpur city, Talcher, Talcher Road, and Titlagarh Jn.

The release also mentioned that work on upgrading some major stations has already commenced in the first phase.

A total of 25 Railway Stations in Odisha have been chosen for redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Scheme now, reports Economic Times.

The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has allocated Rs 547.7 crore for the redevelopment of these stations.

The selected stations for redevelopment in Odisha include Sakhigopal, Mancheswar, Dhenkanal, Chhatrapur, Angul, Palasa, Meramandali, Balugaon, Lingaraj Temple Road, Talcher Road, Khurda Road, Kantabanji, Bargarh Road, Hirakud, Rairakhol, Barpali, Muniguda, Balangir, Harisankar Road, Mahasamund, Bhawanipatna, Khariar Road, Vizianagaram, Duvvada, and Damanjodi.

Amrit Bharat Station Scheme

The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme aims to revamp and improve the infrastructure of selected railway stations in India.

The Scheme aims to upgrade and modernise 1,309 Railway Stations on Indian Railways.

The main objectives of the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme are to enhance station infrastructure, integrate stations with urban areas, improve multimodal connectivity, and provide accessible facilities for specially-abled individuals.

The scheme emphasises sustainability and eco-friendliness by implementing ballastless tracks as needed. It also considers the specific requirements, phasing, and feasibility of each station, as well as the establishment of city centers around the stations in the long term.

In addition to the aforementioned goals, the scheme includes improving amenities such as station access, waiting halls, toilets, cleanliness, free Wi-Fi, and local product kiosks. It also aims to enhance passenger information systems, provide executive lounges and designated spaces for business meetings, and incorporate landscaping.