Chandigarh railway station set to get Rs 385 crore facelift

RLDA, which is a statutory authority under the Ministry of Railways, has four key mandates as part of its development plan — leasing commercial sites, colony upgradation, station upgradation, and multi-functional complexes.

According to the details and proposed plans, the elongated rectangular plaza on Chandigarh side will ensure a dedicated drop-off movement and pick-up movement on left and right side respectively of the central pedestrian plaza. There is also a proposal for segregation of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, drop-off and pick-up traffic.

The station building on Panchkula side will also be upgraded on similar lines. An official said that a Roof Plaza is proposed for integration of Panchkula side to Chandigarh side.

“The station will also be integrated with other modes of transport. The bid will open on August 2 and the station will be upgraded on EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) model,” the official added.

The upgraded station will have state-of-the-art lobbies, food court, paid lounge and also office and retail spaces. Additional lifts and escalators will be added.
RLDA vice-chairman Ved Parkash Dudeja, who is also an alumnus of PEC in Chandigarh, said, that the city has grown manifold in the past decade. “The upgradation of the railway station will support the city’s growth by providing world class facilities,” he said.

RLDA officials added that the station will be developed on modular concept in which pre-engineered and prefabricated construction will be used. This will reduce the time taken to complete the project significantly.

“The contractor or the agency appointed will develop a scheme and method based on the modularisation report. Once a technique is established, it will be replicated on the station development works to be carried out on the railway network,” an official added.