Date:09/01/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/01/09/stories/2006010921210300.htm

New Delhi

New Delhi railway station to have four new platforms

Sandeep Joshi

The project worth several crores is likely to take two years time

NEW DELHI: Delhi's railway infrastructure is in for a major overhaul as within the next two to three years the city will not only have a modern railway station at Anand Vihar in East Delhi but also have four new platforms and a new modern station building at the country's busiest New Delhi railway station.

According to Divisional Railway Manager (Delhi) Pradeep Kumar, the work of adding four new platforms at New Delhi railway station was going on and that would take the total number of platforms to 16. "The new platforms will come up between platform No.5 and 6 and platform No. 7 and 8. The entire project worth several crores is likely to take two years," he said.

Informing that the work of adding two new tracks between New Delhi and Tilak Bridge railway stations has already begun, Mr. Kumar said this stretch would have six tracks instead of present four that would help in movement of trains at the station. "Two new tracks will give additional `birthing place' at stations that will help in reducing waiting period of trains at the station as well as at outer signals. Moreover, it will also help us in introducing new trains due to additional space," he added.

Similarly, the new building at Ajmeri Gate side of the station will be equipped with world-class facilities providing premium passenger facilities, for which work is already underway. Here the facilities will include air-conditioned dormitories, separate waiting rooms for men and women, retiring rooms, enquiry offices, ticketing facility centres, food plazas, ATMS and foreign exchange counters, and cyber cafes for net-savvy passengers. "The idea is to decongest the station. The Ajmeri Gate entrance will be linked to the Delhi Metro station with a common ticketing point from where the passengers can buy ticket for both the Metro rail and the railways," he added.

Another ambitious project is Rs.85 crore-Anand Vihar rail terminal that will integrate service with the proposed Delhi Metro station as well as adjoining ISBT. "It will have the first station building where no offline activities like vending or luggage trolley movement will take place on the platform," Mr. Kumar informed, adding that with an operational area of about 42 hectares, the new terminal would mainly benefit East-bound passengers as they would not have to go to either New Delhi and Old Delhi stations, helping in decongesting the two stations.