Railways to revamp 200 stations; work on at 32: Vaishnaw

The government plans to revamp more than 200 railway stations across the country, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said this week. “Tendering process for 47 railway stations is completed, and physical work has started at 32 stations,” he said at the foundation stone-laying ceremony for a coach maintenance factory at Aurangabad in Maharashtra. According to Vaishnaw, the government has prepared a master plan to revamp the stations. Overhead spaces will be created which will have world-class facilities, including waiting lounges, food courts, and amusement facilities for children. Vaishnaw also said that railway stations will act as a platform for the sale of regional products. Speaking on the contribution of the Marathwada region in Maharashtra in the making of Vande Bharat trains, the minister said, “The country will have 400 Vande Bharat trains in future, and 100 of these trains will be manufactured in the coach factory at Latur in Marathwada. The necessary changes in the factory are already being made.” Vaishnaw said the government doesn't look at the 'rate of return' when sanctioning of a project. He said all parts of the country are now being connected either by highways or railways under the PM Gati Shakti scheme, and parts of Marathwada will also be connected. Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for Railways and Jalna MP Raosaheb Danve said the Central government has sanctioned Rs 110 billion for Maharashtra, which was Rs 11 billion earlier.See also: Bhopal railway division leads the way in energy savingCCEA okays revamp of Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad stations