Indian Prime Minister has laid the foundation stone for the Redevelopment of 508 railway stations across India as a part of Amrit Bharat Stations Scheme, spreading across 27 states and union territories.The extensive redevelopment project, estimated to cost more than RS 24,470 crores, aims to transform railway stations into modern, well-equipped hubs.
Amrit Bharat Stations Scheme
- The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme aims to redevelop 1309 stations nationwide.
- The redevelopment will provide modern passenger amenities along with ensuring well-designed traffic circulation, inter-modal integration, and signage for the guidance of passengers.
- The Scheme was launched in February 2023 by the Ministry of Railways.
Station-wise Plans
- The station buildings’ designs will be inspired by local culture, heritage, and architecture.
- For instance, the Jaipur Railway Station will feature elements resembling the Hawa Mahal and Amer Fort from Rajasthan.
Integrated Approach to Urban Development
- The redevelopment is planned with a holistic approach to urban development, treating the stations as “City Centres.”
- This approach aims to integrate both sides of the city and create well-designed traffic circulation, inter-modal connectivity, and clear signage for passengers’ guidance.
Indian Railways
- The Indian Railways was established on 16th April 1853. The inaugural passenger train covered a 34-kilometer route between Mumbai’s Bori Bandar and Thane.
- The Indian Railways boasts its own mascot, a ‘Shubhankar named ‘Bholu,’ created by the National Institute of Design in 2002. Bholu is an elephant dressed as a railway guard, introduced on the railways’ 150th anniversary.
- The Indian Railways ranks as the world’s fourth-largest railway network, encompassing a track length of 67,368 km. Only the US, China, and Russia have larger networks. It’s also the world’s second-largest network managed under a single administration, spanning 115,000 km.
- The Indian Railways takes pride in owning four UNESCO-recognized world heritage sites,
- Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai, Nilgiri Mountain Railway, and Kalka Shimla Railway.
Longest Platform
- Hubli Junction’s Platform number 1, also known as Shree Siddharoodha Swamiji Hubballi Junction in Karnataka, holds the record for the world’s longest railway platform at 1,505 meters.
Longest and Shortest Train Rides
- The longest train ride in India is the Vivek Express, traveling from Kanyakumari to Dibrugarh, covering a distance of 4,189 kilometers with 56 stops in 82 hours and 30 minutes.
- The shortest train ride is just 3 kilometers, running between Nagpur and Ajni.
World’s Highest Rail Bridge
- India is home to the Chenab Rail Bridge, the world’s highest railway bridge, located in Dharot, Jammu, and Kashmir.
Nagpur’s Diamond Crossing
- Nagpur, Maharashtra, hosts the famous Diamond Crossing, where two railway tracks form a square-like diamond shape, with two lines going North-South and two lines going East-West.