Surat, Udhna stations to be redeveloped as ‘railpolis’

Surat: If things go as planned, Surat and Udhna railway stations will be redeveloped into ‘railpolis’ — a mini-smart city — where citizens can live, work, play and ride.
Decks seem to have been cleared for the ambitious redevelopment project as the Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation Ltd (IRSDC) has invited Request for Qualification (RFQ) for the transformation of the two railway stations.
According to IRSDC, the redeveloped Surat railway station will have walkways and central concourse to help passengers travel smoothly between the railway station and Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) bus station, city bus terminal, proposed metro train station and other areas.
Udhna railway station too will be redeveloped with better connectivity and different concourses for departing and arriving passengers.
The redeveloped Surat station will also ease congestion at the existing premises as it will balance the utilization of the area on eastern and western sides and also boost economic activities.
The new station will be redeveloped to handle the increase in the number of passengers, which is likely to double in the coming years.
“The stations will be redeveloped in lines with global standards to transform them at par with international airports and provide world-class amenities to travellers. The Surat railway station is envisaged to be redeveloped into a multi-modal transport hub (MMTH), thus providing a hassle-free and comfortable travel experience to the commuters,” said SK Lohia, MD and CEO, IRSDC.
Surat station will be an MMTH as the Indian Railways, GSRTC and Surat Municipal Corporation have come together to pool their lands for the Rs 1,285 crore project. \
IRSDC will redevelop the stations on behalf of a special purpose vehicle – Surat Integrated Transportation Development Corporation Limited (SITCO) – a joint venture of IRSDC, GSRTC and SMC.