The Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) has commissioned the Chandigarh Railway Station rehabilitation project. The station will be modernised on EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) model at an approximate cost of Rs 462 crore.

The reconstruction work is expected to be completed in 15 months. The station will be refurbished using a modular design as part of a lighthouse project.

M/s Ahluwalia Contracts (India) Pvt Ltd has been given the contract.

The project’s progress was examined and appraised by Ved Parkash Dudeja, Vice Chairman of the RLDA, who also announced that “RLDA has granted the tender for the rebuilding of the Chandigarh Railway station.

Soon, Chandigarh will have a top-notch, newly-designed train station with amenities for travelers on par with those at major airports. The improved station will not only help the city’s infrastructure flourish but will also unite its two halves by offering a new Panchkula side terminal and a rooftop plaza. The renovated station will function as a new city center and be crucial to the growth of the entire city.

The provision of best-in-class amenities and the enhancement of the traveling experience are the main objectives of station improvements. For the comfort and convenience of passengers, the renovated Chandigarh station will have distinct arrival and departure facilities. Passengers can wait for their trains in a comfortable environment on a 72-meter-wide roof plaza that is being built over the platforms and contains a food court and retail establishments.

To ensure seamless passenger mobility, two cutting-edge foot-over bridges (FOBs) will also be constructed. The refurbished railway station will be upgraded in a unified grid system to provide structural modularity and will be combined with other means of transportation whenever possible.

Modern lobby areas, a food court, a paid lounge, an information desk, and some office and retail space will all be featured in the refurbished station. The Chandigarh Junction railway station, which is a part of the Northern Railway zone’s Ambala Division, provides service to the tri-cities of Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula.

The RLDA is a legislative body in-charge of developing railroad land under the Ministry of Railways. Commercial leasing sites, colony rehabilitation, station redevelopment, and multi-functional complexes are among its development strategy’s four main mandates. For a total lease premium of Rs 1633 crore, the RLDA has leased out 15 sites during the current financial year, including those in Bangalore and Raichur (Karnataka), Liluah and Salt Golah (Howrah), Nizamabad (Telangana), Waltax Road and Egmore (Chennai), Bhopal (MP), Ludhiana (Punjab), Abu Road (Rajasthan), Bhusawal. Rs 226 crore shall be developed in Bangalore, Bhopal, Egmore (Chennai), Bareilly, and Ludhiana Railway Colonies.