-SATISH HANDA

Ministry of Railways after union budget-2020 has started focusing on railways network in Ambala rail division. A ray of hope is seen as regard face lifting of Ambala Cantt railway station situated at the junction of several states from where more than 300 trains pass every day and over an lakh passengers use seven railway platforms daily on this railway station. Ambala Cantt railway station was declared ‘World Class’ railway station by then Union Railway Minister years ago but failed to get required infrastructure to provide facilities to passengers since then for one reason or the other. Ambala rail division spent over Rs 2 crore for face lifting of Ambala Cantt railway station but it was insufficient to meet international standard recognition to the railway station.

Ministry of Railways has now decided to hand over infrastructural project to Indian Railway Station Development Corporation (IRSDC) to bring this railway station in the category of world class and look like an airport. According to G.M. Singh Divisional Rail Manager Ambala and Bajrang Goel Senior Divisional Engineer, IRSDC has already started work on this project on Public Personal Partnership (PPP) model to bring Ambala Cantt railway station to international standard. They told media persons that security measures are being introduced on this railway station declared highly sensitive been situated on the national highway, near Army Headquarter, Indian Air Force Station and IOC terminal. The railway station open from every side is stated unsafe. They further disclosed that entry into railway station would be completely banned without having a ticket and would be permissible only via two security gates to open only by touching the ticket purchased by passengers with the help of censor system.

According to Development Railway Authority, commercial sites would be developed inside railway station complex on lease basis and revenue collected in this regard would be spent on developmental work inside the railway complex. There is a provision to cover all seven railway platforms under a single roof having number of CCTV cameras on each platform, enough lighting arrangement, stalls serving fast foods to passengers, display board to provide information about arrival and departure of trains, lift facility for passengers and installation of elevators on every platform. There would be provision for luxury rooms for the night stay of passengers at the railway station and Food Plaza offering meals, snacks and fast food facility outside the railway station within complex.

Rattan Lal Kataria, MP Ambala Lok Sabha seat told media persons that green signal has been given to the proposal for long-awaited demand for installation of 91 km rail track between Chandigarh and Yamunanagar via Naraingarh and Sadhaura on which amount worth Rs 901 crore would be spent in present union budget along with laying several other rail tracks in Ambala division in view of fast trains likely to be on rail tracks soon, which include 104 km rail track between Panipat and Meerut to cost Rs 1100 crore, about 33 km rail rack between Chandigarh and industrial town Baddi to cost Rs 400 crore, about 81 km rail track between Rohtak and Rewari to cost Rs 350 crore, about 89 km rail track between Jind and Sonepat to cost Rs 712 crore,  about 69 km rail track between Rohtak and Hansi to cost Rs 344 crore,  104 km rail track between Delhi and Alwar via Nuh to cost Rs 1249 crore, 93 km rail track between  Hisar and Sirsa via Fatehabad to cost Rs Rs 410 crore and nearly 71.4 km rail track between Panipat and Rohtak to cost Rs 714 crore. Kataria said that work for developing a rail coach factory in 161 acre area has already started near Sonepat in the state on which amount worth Rs 484 crore would be spent