After missing the original deadline of May 2024, the redevelopment of Chandigarh railway station into a world-class facility is now expected to be completed by May 2025.
The Minister of State for Railways, Ravneet Singh Bittu, along with railway officials and BJP leader Sanjay Tandon, visited the station to inspect the ongoing work. The minister emphasized the importance of timely completion, noting that approximately 80% of the construction is finished, although work on the air concourse is still underway.
Bittu announced that certain components, including a foot-over bridge (FOB), station buildings on both sides, and parking facilities, are expected to be ready for public use by February 2025, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi likely to inaugurate the project.
The redevelopment, costing ?462 crore, will feature distinct areas for arrivals and departures. The new station will include G+3 buildings measuring 60m x 42m on both the Chandigarh and Panchkula sides, equipped with 30 lifts, 10 escalators, and two 12-meter foot-over bridges.
A parking area covering 25,000 square meters is being developed to accommodate both two-wheelers and four-wheelers. Additionally, the station will provide two dormitories with a 20-bed capacity, as well as 10 air-conditioned retiring rooms with amenities such as TVs and heaters.
Passengers can also look forward to a food plaza, a 72m x 80m air concourse, and an air-conditioned restaurant.
The project is being managed by the Railway Land Development Authority (RLDA), a statutory body under the Ministry of Railways responsible for railway land development. The redevelopment contract was awarded to M/s Ahluwalia Contracts (Pvt) Ltd in December 2022, with construction commencing in January 2023. The Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation initially oversaw the upgrade, but the project was handed to RLDA in April 2022 following pandemic-related delays.
Authorities describe this redevelopment as a "lighthouse project" intended to serve as a model for future upgrades across the Indian railway network.
