Southern Railway identifies 90 stations for development

The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS), implemented by the Southern Railway, has identified 90 stations for development. The primary objective of this scheme is to prepare master plans for railway stations and implement them in phases to enhance the facilities provided.Officials have identified 15 stations from each of the six divisions for development purposes. The railway administration has approved the master plans prepared by consultants for all the 90 stations.Under Phase-I of the plan, specific works have been identified, and tender awards for developmental projects have already been given for 35 stations. The remaining stations are in the final stages of tender finalisation, as per the officials.The initial phase of development focuses on 60 stations located in the divisions of Chennai, Salem, Tiruchirapalli, and Madurai in Tamil Nadu. Several stations in Chennai, such as Beach, Park, Guindy, St Thomas Mount, Guduvancherry, Ambattur, Perambur, and Tiruvallur, have been selected for renovation. Out of the total budget of Rs 9.34 billion allocated for the project in the six divisions, the Chennai zone has received Rs 2.51 billion to carry out 45 works.Officials emphasise that the scheme aims to provide new amenities for passengers and upgrade or replace existing facilities. The planned facilities for the stations include foot over bridges, escalators, lifts, parking areas for two-wheelers and four-wheelers, landscaping and horticulture, an integrated passenger information system, signage, improvements to platforms and platform shelters, benches, wash basins, better illumination, power supply arrangements, and CCTV surveillance, among others.