India's first redeveloped station, the Gandhinagar Capital railway station will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.
Officials told the media that this revamped station includes facilities such as a luxury hotel, an interfaith prayer hall, theme-based lighting, and a separate baby feeding room.
Station's redevelopment was planned in 2016 as part of the railways' ambitious project to transform stations into world-class 24x7 transport and business hubs aiming to offer great business opportunities and attract huge investments.These hubs are to be called railopolis.
The officials said that the revamped station has an interfaith prayer hall, a column-free, sleek, and economical space frame spanning 105-meter over the platform with all-weather aluminum sheeting for the passenger's comfort. The roof is in the shape of an arch, and the structure is designed with green building rating features.
It has already achieved sustainability standards green certification by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).
Railway Board Chairman, Suneet Sharma, said that the railway is aiming towards generating new sources of revenue for the railways and new experiences for our passengers, in this project of redevelopment.
The redevelopment work of Gandhinagar Capital station started in 2017 with a joint venture named Gandhinagar Railway and Urban Development (GARUD) being set up.
The special purpose vehicle (SPV) has a 74:26 equity sharing from the Government of Gujarat (GoG) and the Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation (IRSDC), the nodal agency, and the project development agency (PDA) for these stations.
The project was envisioned with the Gujarat International Finance Tech (GIFT) city in focus which could develop as an important international financial center on the paths of other world-famous cities.
The national transporter said that work on 125 stations is in progress.
The total investment is more than Rs 50,000 crore for the redevelopment of 123 stations, along with real estate development.
Also read: IRSDC to redevelop Mumbai's Andheri railway station
Also read: Bikram Chowk Railway Station in J&K to become heritage site
