(a) whether the Government has any proposal to modernise more number of platforms to facilitate the passengers with basic amenities and requirements;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) if not, the reasons therefor; and
(d) the number of projects for modernisation of railway platforms which are in the pipeline in various railway stations of the country especially in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra?
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)
(a) to (d): Upgradation/modernization of stations on Indian Railways is a continuous and on-going process. Presently, Railway stations are upgraded/modernized under ‘Adarsh’ Station Scheme based on identified need of providing better enhanced passenger amenities at stations.
In the state of Tamil Nadu, 49 stations have been identified under Adarsh Station Scheme and out of these 44 stations have been upgraded/developed under this scheme. In the state of Maharashtra, 108 stations have been identified under Adarsh Station Scheme. Against this, 106 stations have been upgraded/developed and remaining stations are planned to be developed by 2020-21.
In Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, under soft-upgradation scheme, various passenger amenities which, inter-alia, include improvement to façade of the station building, retiring room, waiting room (with bathing facilities), separate waiting room for ladies, landscaping of circulating area, earmarked parking, signages, Pay & Use toilets, Foot Over Bridge, ramps at entry to station etc. are provided at these Railway stations as per the respective category of the station depending upon need, volume of passenger traffic and inter-se priority, subject to availability of funds.
In the financial year 2018-19, 05 stations of Maharashtra namely Lonawala, Sholapur, Igatpuri, Wardha and Pune and 04 stations in Tamil Nadu namely Madurai, Chennai Egmore, Tiruchirapalli and Salem have been substantially upgraded.
Considering the safety aspects, Ministry of Railways in April` 2018 have revised the norms of Minimum Essential Amenities and decided to provide with High Level Platforms irrespective of its category of station on Broad Gauge which was not the case earlier, as only erstwhile ‘A1’, ‘A’ & ‘C’ category stations were provided with High Level platforms. However, priority will be accorded to higher category of station over lower category of station while sanctioning and executing the work of raising the height of platforms and henceforth no work of raising the platform to medium level shall be taken up. All existing sanctioned work for raising the height of platforms from rail level/ low level shall be made to high level. In the financial year 2018-19, Ministry of Railways have also sanctioned umbrella works of `6200/- crore for “Provision of Foot over Bridges and/or High level Platforms at stations” as a safety measure.
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