18 TN railway stations and Puducherry to have upgraded passenger facilities
Subsequently, for Perambur station, SR will be shelling out Rs 17.86 crore to renovate basic passenger amenities along with the construction of new toilets, additional benches at the platform and water taps.
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CHENNAI: Under the Amrit Bharat Scheme, the Southern Railways (SR) has planned for redevelopment of railway stations in 18 Tamil Nadu districts and Puducherry. The Ministry of Railways has conceptualised this scheme with a long-term vision, focusing on continuous improvement of railway stations across India.
As per the report, the stations in TN that will undergo comprehensive redevelopment are; Tiruvallur, Tirutthani, Perambur, Jolarpettai, Gummidipundi, Guduvancheri, Chengalpattu, Arokkonam, Villupuram, Thanjavur, Mayiladurai, Tiruppur, Salem, Podanur, Karur, Virudhunagar, Tenkasi, Nagercoil and Puducherry.
The SR circular noted that the Tiruvallur station will be upgraded at the cost of Rs 28.04 crore. And, for seamless passenger movement, Foot over Bridge (FOB) is being constructed. Additionally, parking space, booking office, platform flooring and CCTV surveillance will all be redeveloped at the station. Other stations too will undergo similar upgradation.
Subsequently, for Perambur station, SR will be shelling out Rs 17.86 crore to renovate basic passenger amenities along with the construction of new toilets, additional benches at the platform and water taps.
Additionally, Perambur station will also have solar power panels with a net metering facility. LED lights will be installed throughout the station buildings. Furthermore, low-height masts with LED lights will be put up on the station's streets, thus promoting energy-saving street lighting.
In case of Tiruttani station, which is to be upgraded for Rs 19.26 crore, a slew of refurbishments is in pipeline. The project involves constructing a larger concourse, information kiosks, new FOB along with upgrading other basic facilities.
Besides this, the upgrade plan also focuses on catering to the needs of all passengers, including those with disabilities. To promote inclusivity, platforms at stations like Villupuram, Thanjavur, Mayiladurai, Tiruppur, Salem, Podanur and Perumbur and others will be equipped with 1.125-meter-wide edge strips, featuring factory-made tactile coping slabs, facilitating safe and convenient boarding and alighting for differently-abled passengers.
The amount allotted by the Ministry of Railways for upgrading the some of the stations are; Rs 47.40 crore for Jolarpettai junction, Rs 37.76 crore for Gummidipundi station, Rs 20.41 crores for Guduvancheri station, Rs 18 crore for Chengalpattu station, Rs 54.66 crore for junction railway station and Rs 23.23 crore for Thanjavur station.
For Puducherry, the ministry was allocated Rs 93 crore, which will witness upgrading of parking space, air concourse, intermodal transport facilities and well-designed facades.
