PNS | VIJAYAWADA
Under the Amrit Bharat Station scheme envisaged for the development of railway stations, Vizianagaram, Duvvada, Damanjodi stations will be upgraded. They aim to take up 1,309 stations for upgradation and modernisation.
The scheme also envisages improvement of building, integrating the station with both sides of the city, multimodal integration, amenities for Divyangjans, sustainable and environment-friendly solutions, provision of ballastless tracks, ‘Roof Plazas’ as per necessity, phasing and feasibility and creation of city centres at the station in the long term.
Amrit Bharat Station Scheme aims at development of stations on a continuous basis with a long-term approach. It involves preparation of master plans and their implementation in phases to improve the amenities at the stations like improvement of station access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lift/escalators as necessary, cleanliness, free Wi-Fi, kiosks for local products through schemes like ‘One Station One Product’, better passenger information systems, executive lounges, nominated spaces for business meetings, landscaping etc. keeping in view the necessity at each station.
Fifteen stations in Waltair division have been identified to be taken up under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme — Vizianagaram Jn, Srikakulam Road, Duvvada, Bobbili Jn, Jagdalpur, Simhachalam, Parvatipuram, Chipurupalli, Jeypore, Naupada Jn, Damanjodi, Araku, Koraput, Kottavalasa, Paralakhemundi.
In the first phase, works for some major stations have already been started. The Railways will spend about Rs 18 crore for Duvvada, Rs 26 crore for Vizianagaram and Rs 13.9 crore for the station developmental activities under the scheme.
