61 railway stations in Karnataka to be redeveloped under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme

An artist’s impression of architectural plans of various railway stations set for redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

An artist’s impression of architectural plans of various railway stations set for redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The Indian Railways has identified 61 railway stations in Karnataka for redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, aiming to modernise and upgrade infrastructure at these stations. Many railway stations in the State have not undergone redevelopment for several years, necessitating this large-scale initiative.

According to railway officials, “The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme envisages development of stations on a continuous basis with a long-term approach. It involves preparation of master plans and their implementation in phases to better 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 such station.”

Structural improvements

The scheme also includes structural improvements such as enhancing station buildings, integrating stations with both sides of the city, and introducing multimodal transport connectivity. Additionally, it aims to improve amenities for Divyangjans, incorporate sustainable and environment-friendly solutions, introduce ballastless tracks, and construct ‘roof plazas’ where necessary. In the long run, select stations may also be developed into city centres.

Project timeline

When asked about the project timeline, a Railways source stated, “Development/redevelopment/upgradation of railway stations is complex in nature, involving the safety of passengers and trains and requiring various statutory clearances from urban/local bodies. These factors affect the completion time. Therefore, no timeframe can be indicated at this stage.”

15 stations

Under the South Western Railway (SWR), 15 railway stations in the Bengaluru Division will be redeveloped as part of the project. The stations earmarked for enhancement include Bangarpet, Channapatna, Dharmapuri, Doddaballapur, Hindupur, Hosur, Kengeri, K.R. Puram, Kuppam, Malleswaram, Malur, Mandya, Tumakuru, Ramanagara, and Whitefield.

Four zones

Regarding funding, an official clarified that the provision of passenger amenities, including those under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, is generally financed under Plan Head – 53 ‘Customer Amenities’. “The details of allocation under Plan Head – 53 are maintained Zonal Railway-wise and not State-wise or work-wise. The State of Karnataka spans across four railway zones — Central Railway, Southern Railway, South Central Railway, and South Western Railway,” the official added.

Earlier, Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti V. Somanna had stated that railway stations in Karnataka would be developed at a total cost of ₹2,000 crore, indicating the scale of the project in enhancing railway infrastructure across the state.