Union Railway Minister Vaishnaw seeks public opinion on Cuttack station design

BHUBANESWAR: Cuttack railway station will soon be redeveloped with facilities of international standards. Ahead of the tendering process, the Ministry of Railways has sought the opinion and suggestions in the design for redevelopment of the railway station.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday uploaded the pictures of the proposed design of the railway station on social media seeking public opinion.The proposed design prepared with inspiration from the city’s Barabati fort architecture displays the outer look of the station, entry and exit besides the booking counters, waiting hall and suburban roof plaza in the complex.

East Coast Railway sources said the detailed project report will be prepared and its cost will be decided after the design is finalised. Cuttack railway station is an NSG-3 category station of Khurda Road. The redevelopment work includes landscaping of the surrounding railway land.

The station will be developed as a model station with segregation for entry and exit, baggage security, check-in area, an information centre, art gallery and food plaza. It will have provision for differently-abled, including access ramps, lifts, and escalators.The station will also have green building features with sustainable and energy-efficient design, maximum use of natural light and ventilation, rainwater harvesting and solar energy generation.

Uploading the design of the station on his Twitter account, Vaishnaw urged the public to give a rating on the design on a scale of five to 10. Ten would be rated as extraordinary, nine as excellent, seven as very good and five as good. Based on the public rating, action would be taken to rectify the design, if required, he tweeted.

In January, the union minister had laid the foundation stone for development of the second entry and circulating area of the station. Stating that the ministry is committed to develop the railway station, he had said that funds would not be a constraint for the purpose.

The second entry and circulating area will have facilities like parking for two/three/four-wheelers, pickup and drop points, parking for ambulances, VIP vehicles besides, a wider approach road.