Techno-economic feasibility studies likely to begin shortly
Parl Panel asks for chalking out time-bound action plan
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 15: The overcrowded and chaotic Jammu Railway Station has been identified by the Railways Ministry for re-development on Pubic Private Partnership (PPP) mode and techno-economic feasibility studies are likely to begin shortly as Parliamentary Panel has asked for chalking out time bound action plan in order to provide modern and state-of-the-art amenities to rail users.
The re-development of Jammu Railway Station, which is visited by thousands of passengers every day, was planned several years back but thereafter no further progress could be made for the reasons best known to the Railways Ministry as a result of which chaos and lack of amenities can be easily seen in different parts of station.
The plan could not become reality despite the fact that number of trains carrying large number of passengers to and from Jammu Railway Station increased considerably during the past some years.
This compelled the Member of Parliament from Jammu Jugal Kishore Sharma to raise the issue in the Lok Sabha few days back and he sought to know from the Railways Minister as to whether there is any concrete plan for redevelopment of Jammu Railway Station by utilizing the spare railway land/air space.
Though the Railways Ministry preferred not to mention anything about the earlier plan while responding to the query of Member Parliament yet it revealed that Jammu Railway Station has been identified for redevelopment on PPP mode and steps have been initiated for conduct of techno-economic feasibility studies.
“The bids were invited under the Station Development Programme but the same were received in respect of only Jammu Railway Station and Khozikode Railway Station while as in view of not so-encouraging response the bids for other stations were foreclosed”, the Ministry informed the Parliament.
The facilities proposed under the redevelopment plan include congestion free non-conflicting entry/exit to the station premises, segregation of arrival/departure of passengers, adequate concourse without overcrowding, integration with other modes of transport systems—bus and metro etc., user friendly international signage, well illuminated circulating area and sufficient provision for drop off, pick up and parking etc.
Actually there are two schemes for the modernization of Railway Stations—Adarsh Stations and Redevelopment Scheme. The Adarsh Stations are related with improved passenger amenities like improvement of facade of station building, waiting hall with bathing facilities, foot over-bridges and pre-paid taxi/radio taxi booth.
Under Station Redevelopment Scheme commercial development of sparable railway land & air space is also allowed along with passenger amenities at stations. Station redevelopment project is envisaged as cost neutral to Railways and the cost of station redevelopment is met by commercial exploitation of land and air space in and around stations.
The Railways Ministry has found it appropriate to bring Jammu Railway Station under Station Redevelopment Scheme keeping in view all the aspects particularly the number of trains and passengers, which is increasing with every passing year particularly during the peak tourist season and during Amarnath Yatra.
Keeping in view the fact that plan mooted several years back for modernization of Jammu Railway Station has failed to see the light of the day till date, Standing Committee on Railways of Lok Sabha, in its report submitted recently, has expressed concern over the Railways Ministry not indicating any time-frame for redevelopment.
“The Committee is concerned to note that no railway station has so far been developed under PPP mode. There is something amiss in the planning of the Railways so for as redevelopment of stations is concerned”, the report said. Accordingly, the Committee has asked the Railways Ministry to chalk out a time bound action plan for redevelopment in order to provide modern and state-of-the-art amenities to rail users.
It is pertinent to mention here that civil society of Jammu has repeatedly been demanding all the modern facilities at Jammu Railway Station so that no section of the passengers faces any sort of inconvenience.
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