Revamp of 10 suburban rail stations slows to a crawl

MUMBAI: The plan to revamp and upgrade 10 suburban railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS) has slowed almost to a halt on the Western Railway (WR). With barely 4-10% of the work complete, railway officials held a meeting on November 21 to discuss ways to expedite the work, being undertaken at a cost of ₹231 crore.
The ABSS plan, announced by the Union Railway Ministry in February 2023 for 1,275 stations across the country, aims to improve amenities at stations. It includes improving station access, waiting halls, toilets, lifts/escalators, cleanliness, free Wi-Fi, and kiosks for local products through initiatives like ‘One Station One Product’. It will also integrate suburban railway stations with city infrastructure, multimodal connectivity, and sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions.
In Mumbai, the Western Railway has identified Marine Lines, Charni Road, Grant Road, Lower Parel, Prabhadevi, Malad, Jogeshwari Coaching Terminal and Palghar stations for the revamp. In August, the railway added Kandivali and Dahisar stations to the list.
According to a senior WR official, work is almost at a standstill. “Those involved are only planning and re-planning. During the review meet, concerns were raised by the top bosses over the delays. They said work must be expedited. Beyond the suburban corridor on the Mumbai Division, 40% of the work is complete.”
Of the 10 stations in Mumbai, Charni Road is an exception. It underwent a facelift before the recent Ganesh festival, due to its proximity to Girgaum Chowpatty, where idols are immersed. The entry/exit points have been widened, ticket booking cabins have been shifted, fancy lamps have been installed on the foot overbridges, and re-tiling has been undertaken at a few locations. However very little work has been done at the other none stations identified under ABSS.
However, not everyone is impressed with the ABSS pan. “The railways spend crores of public money on beautifying railway stations but that does not ease crowding at the stations and inside trains, which is a top concern for commuters. And even if they want to give the stations a facelift, they should display their plans, with deadlines mentioned, at the station premises, so that they are visible to everyone,” said Kailash Verma, president of the Mumbai Commuters Council.