'India’s Station Redevelopment Drive Is World’s Largest,' Says Railways Minister Vaishnaw

Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw outlined the scale and progress of India’s railway station redevelopment programme in the Lok Sabha recently. “I would like to inform the entire House and the nation that in the last 11 years the PM has taken up a new initiative to redevelop the stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, which is the biggest station redevelopment programme undertaken by any country in the world,” he said.

1300+ Stations Under Redevelopment, 160 Completed

The minister said more than 1,300 stations are being redeveloped, and work on 160 stations has already been completed. He emphasised that this initiative is far removed from earlier practices, where “dyeing and painting” were considered development. Today, redevelopment is guided by master plans, prioritising local architecture, dual-side entry, spacious passenger halls, FOBs, and planning for the next 50 years.

Improved Access, Parking, Cleanliness and Passenger Experience

Vaishnaw highlighted significant progress in access areas, expanded parking zones, and modern passenger-handling arrangements.

Citing the New Delhi Railway Station’s holding area prepared during Diwali and Chhath Puja, he noted that thousands of passengers were able to wait comfortably during peak festive rush. He added that cleanliness standards have improved drastically compared to 15 years ago, setting “a new standard” for public infrastructure.

New Batch of Stations Launched by PM Modi

Earlier this year in June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched redevelopment works for 103 new Amrit Bharat Stations from Bikaner, Rajasthan, via video conferencing marking another milestone in India’s nationwide modernisation push. These stations feature upgraded facades, better circulation areas, sustainable design elements, and multimodal integration, forming a core part of India’s vision for world-class, future-ready railway hubs.