Odisha: Revamped Bhubaneswar Railway Station To Be Ready By 2025-End

In about a year's time, passengers at Bhubaneswar's city railway station will be greeted by a grand, modernised facility, expected to become fully operational by 2026, according East Coast Railway (ECoR).

Parmeshwar Funkwal, ECoR General Manager, “The redevelopment work of Bhubaneswar railway station will be completed by the end of 2025.”

The new station will feature separate entry and exit routes, enhancing passenger flow and reducing congestion. “We’re working closely with the Odisha government for land on both sides of the station’s approaches, as this is state-owned land,” Funkwal added.

ECoR plans to construct approach roads on both sides of the station once clearance is granted. Challenges include limited road width and the presence of residential areas.

“These constraints are being discussed with the state government, and we are optimistic about reaching a solution soon,” Funkwal noted.

Modern facilities are a key focus, with plans for lifts and escalators on every platform. An air concourse, which posed significant challenges during construction, is already complete.

“Installing the air concourse was complex because it involved launching girders while keeping trains operational and ensuring minimal disruption to passengers,” he explained. “Now that the most challenging aspect is done, the building structure is almost complete.”

The station’s redevelopment has been a long-awaited project, facing numerous delays since its inception. In December 2016, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) received approval from the state government to implement a multi-modal hub project, reports Times of India.

However, the project encountered repeated setbacks, with no progress made by various departments. A breakthrough came on 19 September 2019, when a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Indian Railways and the Odisha government, but progress remained slow.

Finally, in October 2021, the railways took charge, committing to redeveloping Bhubaneswar’s historic station, which first joined the national rail network in 1896.

On 29 December, 2022 Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw laid the foundation for the redevelopment of East Coast Railway's (ECoR's) Bhubaneswar Railway Station.