Railway Panel Calls for Stronger Monitoring, Passenger-Centric Planning of Amrit Bharat Station Redevelopment

The Standing Committee on Railways has called for stronger monitoring, better project planning and passenger-centric assessment of railway station redevelopment projects under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, stressing that upgraded stations must be designed to meet present requirements as well as future passenger demand.

The Committee noted the progress made under the scheme and welcomed the Railways’ long-term, phased approach to redevelopment. It, however, recommended a structured monitoring framework for every station, with clear timelines, physical and financial progress tracking, field inspections, identification of delays and time-bound corrective action.

The Committee said station redevelopment should not be limited to improving the appearance of railway stations. Projects must deliver measurable improvements in passenger amenities, accessibility, cleanliness, safety, mobility and the overall integration of stations with the cities and regions they serve.

1,340 Stations Identified Under Amrit Bharat Scheme

The Ministry of Railways informed the Committee that the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme has been launched with a long-term approach to redevelopment. The scheme envisages preparation of master plans and implementation of works in phases, taking into account the specific requirements of individual stations.

According to the Ministry, 1,340 stations have been identified for development under the scheme. Work has been completed at 208 stations, while redevelopment work is currently in progress at 1,046 stations.

The scheme adopts a long-term planning horizon of 40 to 60 years, with the objective of ensuring that station infrastructure remains capable of meeting future requirements.

The redevelopment plans include improved passenger amenities, sustainable and environment-friendly solutions, provision of ballastless tracks wherever required and feasible, and the long-term development of railway stations as potential city centres.

Panel Wants Station-Wise Monitoring Framework

The Committee recommended that every station redevelopment project should be implemented under a structured monitoring framework.

Such a framework should track both physical and financial progress, conduct periodic field inspections, identify shortfalls against prescribed targets and determine the reasons behind delays.

The Committee also called for time-bound corrective measures wherever projects fall behind schedule.

It emphasised that robust institutional mechanisms are required to prevent cost overruns and avoidable delays. Better project planning and coordination between different agencies involved in station redevelopment will be critical to achieving this objective.

The Committee further recommended that railway station redevelopment projects should incorporate comprehensive traffic management plans and stringent safety protocols during construction.

This is particularly important at brownfield stations, where construction is carried out alongside continuing train operations and regular passenger movement.

Construction to Continue Without Disrupting Train Operations

The Ministry informed the Committee that the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme follows a phased, passenger-centric redevelopment strategy, particularly to address the complexities of brownfield stations.

Holistic master planning and functional zoning are being used to ensure efficient utilisation of station land. Detailed utility mapping and advance planning for diversion of utilities are also undertaken in coordination with local agencies.

The Ministry said construction activities are carefully sequenced so that train operations and essential passenger amenities remain functional.

Temporary passenger facilities, clear signage and crowd-management measures are deployed wherever required to minimise inconvenience during construction.

However, the Railways pointed out that station redevelopment is a complex exercise because of the need to maintain passenger and train safety while working in operational railway environments.

Projects can be affected by shifting of water and sewage lines, optical fibre cables, gas pipelines, power cables and signalling infrastructure. Other challenges include infringements, speed restrictions near tracks and work around high-voltage electrical installations.

Stations may also require several statutory clearances, including fire, heritage, tree-cutting and airport-related approvals, depending on the location and nature of the project.

Passenger Experience to Become Key Performance Indicator

The Committee has recommended developing a station performance assessment framework for all redeveloped stations.

The proposed framework should include measurable indicators such as passenger footfall, utilisation of passenger amenities, accessibility for persons with disabilities, cleanliness, commercial space occupancy, maintenance standards and passenger feedback.

The Committee said assessment of completed stations should be systematically documented so that successful practices can be identified and adopted in ongoing and future redevelopment projects.

This would allow the Railways to move towards an outcome-based approach in which the performance of a redeveloped station is evaluated not merely on the completion of construction but on how effectively the upgraded infrastructure serves passengers.

Passenger Feedback and Grievance Redressal

The Railways has also highlighted its existing passenger grievance redressal mechanisms, particularly the Rail Madad platform.

Rail Madad allows passengers to report issues and seek assistance related to passenger amenities, cleanliness, security and other services through multiple channels, including the web platform, mobile application, SMS and helpline 139.

The Ministry said cleanliness-related feedback is also collected through Rail Madad, enabling real-time passenger grievance redressal.

Regular passenger awareness campaigns are conducted to encourage travellers to use dustbins and maintain cleanliness at stations and on trains.

The Ministry also said inspections are regularly conducted at the divisional, zonal headquarters and Railway Board levels to monitor cleanliness and address shortcomings.

Redevelopment Plans Must Reflect Future Demand

The Committee has stressed that station redevelopment should be based on a detailed assessment of passenger traffic patterns, projected demand and future growth potential of the city or region.

This approach, it said, would help ensure that upgraded station infrastructure remains scalable, demand-responsive and aligned with local development needs.

The Committee also wants passenger satisfaction to be assessed periodically after redevelopment, with specific attention to amenities, accessibility, cleanliness and safety.

It has recommended that feedback and grievance-redressal systems be treated as an integral component of the redevelopment process rather than as an additional facility.

Better Integration with City Transport

One of the key recommendations is stronger integration between redeveloped railway stations and the surrounding urban transport network.

The Committee has called for regular coordination between the Railways, State Governments and local bodies so that stations are better connected with local transport systems and city infrastructure.

Such integration could improve seamless passenger movement between railway stations and other modes of transport while also enhancing regional connectivity and the commercial potential of redeveloped railway properties.

The Committee believes that station redevelopment should therefore be viewed as part of wider urban and regional development rather than as an isolated railway infrastructure exercise.

Review of Standards and Manuals

The Committee noted that railway works are being carried out according to standards and specifications prescribed in various codes and manuals. It, however, recommended that these codes and manuals should be periodically reviewed and revised wherever necessary to keep pace with evolving requirements.

The recommendation assumes importance as station infrastructure is being redesigned to accommodate changing passenger behaviour, accessibility requirements, technology, sustainability standards and growing traffic.

From Station Construction to Long-Term Performance

The Committee’s recommendations seek to move the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme towards a more comprehensive and measurable model of station redevelopment.

With 1,340 stations identified and work either completed or underway at the vast majority of them, the scale of the programme is significant. The challenge now is to ensure that redevelopment delivers sustained benefits beyond the construction phase.

The Committee has therefore placed emphasis on station-wise monitoring, passenger feedback, accessibility, safety, cleanliness, maintenance, commercial utilisation and integration with city infrastructure.

The long-term objective is to ensure that redeveloped stations remain capable of handling future passenger demand while functioning as efficient transport hubs and, where appropriate, integrated city centres.

The Committee has also called for lessons from completed projects to be documented and shared across the Railways. This could help standardise successful practices and improve planning and execution of future station redevelopment projects.

Overall, the recommendations underline a shift from simply redeveloping railway stations to measuring how well the redeveloped stations perform. The success of the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, according to the Committee’s approach, will ultimately depend on whether upgraded stations provide safer, cleaner, more accessible and better-connected passenger facilities while remaining capable of supporting the future growth of the cities and regions they serve.