CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu is gearing up for the inauguration of 10 railway stations being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS) by November-end or December, sources from Southern Railway told DT Next.
In the Chennai division, the Park station in the city is among the 10 stations in Tamil Nadu under the scheme. The other stations in the list are Tiruvarur, Srivilliputhur, Sholavandan, Pollachi, Morappur, Manapparai, Karaikudi, Chinna Salem and Bommidi railway stations.
According to the officials, Amrit Bharat stations would be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The maximum number of stations in this turn would be in the Southern Railway jurisdiction.
The Chennai Park railway station is being renovated at a cost of Rs 10.68 crore. The busy station has a footfall of 27,000 per day.
A total of 90 stations under the Southern Railway are being redeveloped under the scheme. In phase 1, Rs 934 crore were sanctioned for these works.
In May, 13 stations, including St Thomas Mount and Sullurupeta stations under the Chennai division, were redeveloped and inaugurated in the Southern Railway. The main redevelopment works in the stations under ABSS include the provisions for new booking offices, resurfacing of platform flooring, pedestrian walkways, parking area, new platform shelters, replacement of old roofing sheets with colour-coated aluminium sheets, and lifts and escalators for the existing footover bridges.
Alongside the 10 stations in Tamil Nadu, five stations in neighbouring Kerala, which come under SR, would be inaugurated. The stations are in Wadakkanchery, Shoranur, Kuttipuram, Changanassery and Chalakudy.