Sri Fatehgarh Sahib/1 Oct:
(Ravinder Singh Dhindsa)
The redevelopment work of Chandigarh railway station as World Class Railway station is going on in full swing and the complete project is likely to be opened in May’2025. Addressing the media after visiting the chandigarh Railway Sation today, Ravneet Singh Bittu Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing industries said that few components such as one Foot over Bridge (FOB), station buildings on both sides and parking would be ready for public by February’2025. Chandigarh is the gateway to Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana so this Rialways station is having strategic importance.
The present footfall of Chandigarh Railway station is about 36,000 passengers per day with 82 trains average passing including 17 pairs originating/terminating per day. With total cost of 462 crores, the New Railways station once fully completed will have segregation of the passengers both arrival and departures. G+3 station building of (60 m x 42 m) on both Chandigarh & Panchkula side with 30 lifts, 10 escalators and 02 FOBs of 12 meters. Parking area of total 25000 Sqm. is being developed to accommodate maximum no. of two wheelers/ 04 wheelers, 02 Dormitories with capacity of 20 beds and 10 AC Retiring rooms with facility of TV, Heater etc. shall also be provided for the passengers. Space for food plaza, 72m X 80m Air concourse, Air conditioned restaurant will also be made available for the passengers.The minister also visited the spots where the work is ongoing and asked the concerned officials to finish the work in a time bound manner with no compromise on quality. Further while interacting with media, Ravneet Singh Bittu said that for Indian Railways safety of our passengers is utmost priority.
Keeping this in mind Ministry of Railways has approved installation of Kavach 4.0 on 10,000 locomotives. Kavach version 4.0 approved by RDSO on 16-07-2024( Research design and standard organization), the standards setting organisation of Railways. Ministry has also approved upgradation to Kavach 4.0 for all existing installations of Kavach. High density routes were first taken for deployment of Kavach on Delhi- Mumbai and Delhi - Howrah routes (around 3,000 route Km). These two routes will be completed within this financial year while tenders have been invited for next sections: Delhi – Chennai & Mumbai – Chennai section and other section ~ 9,000km. First trial of Kavach 4.0 was done between Sawai Madopur to Kota section for 108 km on 16 th September . IR has approved Kavach 4.0 on 16th July and in two month it has been working.
As on date, Kavach is deployed on 1,465 route Km and 144 Locomotives on South Central Railway. Speaking about the installation of Kavach in Northern Railways, Ravneet Singh said that in Northern Railways there are 1790 RKm work sanctioned for installation of KAVACH while in Punjab Sanctioned work for Kavach is on 121 Rkm that is Chandigarh Dhulkot 33 Rkm and Ferozpur Bathinda 88 Rkm.Ravneet Singh also said that during the festival season of Durga Puja, Chat puja and Diwali the Indian railways will operate 6000 specials trains across the country while in northern railways there would be 161 trains which would have 2882 trips originating and terminating in the northern railways.