The redevelopment work at the country’s first railway station- Habibganj railway station in Bhopal – under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode is in full swing. The Indian Railways Station Development Corporation (IRSDC), which is executing the station redevelopment project, recently said that 97.95 per cent of civil work has already been completed at the project site. Soon, Indian Railways’ Habibganj station is slated to become India’s first airport-like world-class railway station. According to IRSDC, the tentative project completion target is December 2020.
Once the Habibganj railway station is fully redeveloped, it will boast a glass dome like structure at the station entrance. At the revamped station, a dedicated concourse area will be present with airport-like retail outlets and food cafeterias. The redeveloped Habibganj railway station will also boast a plush waiting lounge with modern toilets for passengers. The upgraded railway station will also have refurbished, world-class interiors with museum as well as gaming zones.
Apart from these features, decongested platforms with exit underpass will be introduced for railway passengers with de-boarding trains. The redeveloped Habibganj railway station will have a ‘green building’ and will support energy-efficient LED lighting along with waste water treatment plant for reuse.
For this station redevelopment project, the IRSDC is implementing the plan on the PPP model along with the Bansal Group. The Habibganj station is being revamped on the lines of Germany’s Heidelberg railway station. Besides Habibganj station, the Gandhinagar railway station in Gujarat will also complete all the redevelopment works by December 2020.
The revamped and modernized Gandhinagar railway station, in a first, will boast a five star hotel above the rail tracks. It has been reported that the hotel will be run by the prestigious- Leela Group.