Redevelopment of railway stations in West Bengal: The Ministry of Railways is redeveloping more than 1300 stations across the country. Of these, 101 railway stations are being upgraded in West Bengal at an investment of around Rs 3,600 crore under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS).
According to the national transporter, the ABSS represents a shift towards comprehensive and future-ready railway infrastructure. “This scheme signals that the era of drift is over and delivery is the new benchmark. It reflects leadership that delivers on scale, on speed and on outcomes,” it said in a statement.
Under redevelopment of railway stations, the focus is on ensuring that modern infrastructure reaches metropolitan centres, district headquarters, industrial towns, pilgrimage destinations and strategically important border areas.
Stations such as Adra, Alipurduar, Andal, Asansol, Bandel, Barddhaman, Barrackpore, Bolpur Shantiniketan, Chandpara, Digha, Howrah, Jalpaiguri, Kharagpur, Kolkata, Malda Town, New Jalpaiguri, Purulia, Rampurhat, Ranaghat, Santragachi, Sealdah, Shalimar and Siliguri are being upgraded under a single, unified vision. “The sheer geographical spread of these stations underscores the message of the scheme that development is not confined to a few urban centres but is being delivered across districts, towns and border areas alike,” the railways said.
Among the major stations, New Jalpaiguri, with a sanctioned cost of about Rs 335 crore, is being transformed into a modern gateway to the North East. The construction of new terminals, an air concourse and upgraded platforms will further enhance passenger experience and strengthen connectivity.
Santragachi railway station with an investment of around Rs 380 crore, is emerging as a key multi-modal hub designed to ease pressure on the Howrah-Kolkata corridor. Asansol railway station is being redeveloped at an cost of Rs 431 crore (approx.) as a modern rail hub for the industrial belt of western Bengal. Once completed, these 101 railway stations will become a centre of regional economic activity.
Curated by Shiv Shakti Mishra
