Nestled in the city’s heart, the New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) is one of the largest and busiest stations of Indian Railways. On a daily basis, the station experiences a footfall of nearly 5 lakhs. As per reports, this iconic railway station will soon be revamped as per the Rs. 4,700 crores plan. The entire remodelling project will be funded purely by the government treasury, not by private capital.
On Saturday, the Ministry of Railways tweeted amazing pictures of the futuristic design for the New Delhi Railway Station with a caption that reads ‘Making a New Era’. The government aims to rebuild the railway station with international standards in mind. The proposed design features two massive dome-shaped structures with massive buildings in the backdrop. The domes can be seen enveloped by multiple flyovers, offering easy and quick access to the NDLS. The futuristic design has also proposed ample greenery in the surrounding areas. The remodelled version of the railway station will boast a built-up area of 4 million square feet. Moreover, this area includes commercial space of around 980,000 square feet.
As per the new plan, the New Delhi Railway Station is expected to be a six-storey structure with dual signature domes, as shown in the image. The commercial development of the nearby zones will be a different exercise. Furthermore, the plan also involves connecting the NDLS with the Airport Express Line and Yellow Line of the DMRC or Delhi Metro Rail Corporation via Multi-Modal Transit Hubs (MMTH). These MMTHs will allow flawless transfer of passengers, and they have been planned for one on the Paharganj side and the other on the Ajmeri Gate side.
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Highlights of the ‘Revamping New Delhi Station’ Project
The following are the highlights of the glimpse of the revamped New Delhi Railway Station, as shared by the Indian Railways:
- The station complex will boast two signature glass domes with six floors each.
- The height of the glass domes will be 80 m and 60 m, respectively, from the ground level.
- The station will have separate arrival and departure areas at the concourse level, retail space, circulating areas, and utility services extended over 2.2 lakhs square metres of floor space.
- No foot overbridges will be seen in the revamped New Delhi Railway Station. Instead, the station will have two skywalks 9m wide, connecting the MMTH to the station complex.
- There will be approximately 86 lifts and 67 escalators in the remodelled structure.
- Firefighting systems involving emergency power backup will also be in place.
- The station will have excellent provisions for wastewater reuse, rainwater harvesting, and solid waste management with actual on-site segregation.
- The makeover of areas on railway land, such as railway colonies, inner roads adjoining Connaught Place, and Karnail Singh Stadium, all on railway land, will be done later under a public-private partnership project.
see also – Darjeeling Himalayan Railway: Highest Railway Station in Asia
Words of Ved Parkash Dudeja-Vice Chairman of the RLDA
In an interview, Ved Parkash Dudeja, the Vice Chairman of the Rail Land Development Authority, said that the New Delhi Railway Station remodelling project is aimed at decluttering the area. He also said that there will be a 650-metre-long high street together with State Entry Road and that the street will only be pedestrian-friendly; vehicles won’t be allowed there. Ved Parkash further added that people could walk or shop along the high street, and it will connect New Delhi Railway Station to Connaught Place.
So, let’s wait for the New Delhi Railway Station to be revamped and get a futuristic transformation of the same!
