Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday that the Government is committed towards the redevelopment of the New Delhi Railway Station which is the country's most important railway station.
A presentation regarding the redevelopment project was held in the presence of the Lieutenant-Governor, Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Secretary, DDA Vice-Chairperson, and Niti Aayog CEO, along with senior officials from departments concerned.
Kejriwal said, “This is a very important project, especially considering the fact that Delhi is the national Capital, and New Delhi Railway Station is the most crucial railway station in the country. I assure complete cooperation on behalf of the Delhi Government to the Railways and all agencies concerned. I hope this project gets completed quickly so we all can see New Delhi Railway Station become one of the most beautifully-developed railway stations soon.”
It is noteworthy that the station is the largest and second-busiest railway station in the country and handles approximately 4.5 lakh passengers daily and approximately 160-170 million passengers annually. The redevelopment of the station and its surrounding areas shall create state-of-the-art amenities and facilities for passengers, a new community space for the public, smooth and congestion-free connectivity to the station and most modern commercial areas.
The redevelopment work is being done by the Ministry of Railways. Necessary NOCs have been submitted by almost all the departments concerned, including the Airports Authority of India, NDMC, PWD, BSES and the Forest Department. Its built-up area will be about two lakh twenty thousand square meters. Separate pick up and drop zones will be allocated for the convenience of the passengers. There will be a twin tower of 40 storeys which will house a hotel, offices, retail shops and other facilities. A multi-level car parking will also be constructed at the station. Apart from this, multi-modal integration, road network, and social infrastructure will be developed.
A Railways Office will be constructed in 45 thousand square meters. Several improvements have been made in the design, such as provision for barrier-free movement of pedestrians, street geometry enhancement, e-vehicle facilities, and bolstering of women’s safety. Further, 91 bus bays, 1,500 ECS parking, skywalks for pedestrians and metro passengers will be developed on site.
