Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw described it as the world’s largest station redevelopment programme and said it has transformed how India plans and upgrades railway infrastructure
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the initiative has moved far beyond the earlier practice of only repainting or minor repairs. Pic/PTI
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told the Lok Sabha on Thursday that more than 1,300 railway stations across India are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
He described it as the world’s largest station redevelopment programme and said it has transformed how India plans and upgrades railway infrastructure.
Vaishnaw said that the initiative, started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has moved far beyond the earlier practice of only repainting or minor repairs.
He said that 160 stations have already been fully redeveloped, while work is ongoing at many others. Each station is being redesigned with a long-term master plan that includes local architectural styles, entry points on both sides, spacious passenger halls and foot overbridges.
The aim, he said, is to prepare stations for the next 50 years.
Vaishnaw added that the redevelopment is also improving station surroundings. This includes better access roads, larger parking areas and more efficient passenger-handling facilities. He gave the example of the holding area at New Delhi Railway Station, which helped thousands of passengers wait comfortably during the Diwali and Chhath Puja rush.
He also noted that cleanliness at stations has improved significantly compared with the situation 15 years ago, setting a new benchmark for public spaces.
Earlier in June, PM Modi launched redevelopment work for another 103 stations from Bikaner, Rajasthan, through video conferencing. These stations will feature modern facades, improved circulation space and sustainable designs, as well as integration with other transport systems. The government says the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme is helping create modern, world-class railway hubs across the country.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told Parliament on Wednesday that the number of "consequential train accidents" has dropped from 135 in 2013-14 to 31 in 2024-25, and further down to only 10 in 2025-26 up to November this year, reported the IANS.
He said that between 2004 and 2014, Indian Railways recorded 1,711 such accidents, which was an average of 171 accidents every year. The current numbers show a major improvement in safety.
The minister also pointed to a key safety indicator, the Accidents Per Million Train Kilometre (APMTKM). This has reduced from 0.11 in 2014-15 to 0.03 in 2024-25, showing about 73 per cent improvement, according to the IANS.
Vaishnaw said that the government has greatly increased spending to improve railway safety. The budget for safety measures has almost tripled, rising from Rs 39,463 crore in 2014-15 to more than Rs 1.16 lakh crore for 2025-26.
To prevent accidents caused by human error, modern electrical and electronic interlocking systems with centralised signal operation have been installed at 6,656 stations as of October 2025. Level crossing gates have also been interlocked at 10,098 locations to strengthen safety. Track circuiting -- which helps verify track occupancy through electrical systems — has been completed at 6,661 stations, as per the IANS.
(with IANS inputs)
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