The Khurja Junction station, which is less than 30 kilometres from the upcoming Noida International Airport, is among 10 railway stations in Uttar Pradesh set for redevelopment under the ’Amrit Bharat’ scheme this year, according to officials. Besides Khurja, the railway stations at Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, Chunar, Manikpur, Govindpuri, Kanpur’s Anwarganj, Mainpuri, Shikohabad and Firozabad — all under the Prayagraj Division of the North Central Railway — will be redeveloped, they said.
These stations will be equipped with airport-like facilities such as lounges, space for small business meetings and free WiFi for passengers among others, the officials added. Known for its pottery and ceramic works, Khurja, in Bulandshahr district of western Uttar Pradesh, is less than an hour’s drive from Gautam Buddh Nagar’s Jewar area where the Noida International Airport is being developed. The airport is expected to see commercial operations by the end of this year.
Separately, work is underway to link the Noida airport with another railway station in Bulandshahr –? Chola –? to provide improved transport connectivity in the region, while plans for RRTS and metro rail connectivity are also in the offing. Under the ’Amrit Bharat’ scheme, the central government has decided to develop 10 stations of the Prayagraj Division of the North Central Railway.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate various railway schemes under the Prayagraj division. These include the laying of foundation stone of 11 bridges and the inauguration of 54 bridges, a senior officer said. ”Under ’Amrit Bharat’, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, Chunar, Manikpur, Govindpuri, Khurja, Kanpur’s Anwarganj, Mainpuri, Shikohabad and Firozabad stations of the division will be developed. Along with modernising these stations, passenger facilities will also be increased here and passenger management will be further improved,” Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (Prayagraj Division) Himanshu Shukla said.
The officer said that a target has been set to complete the work at all the stations by the end of this year. ”The stations will be equipped with various facilities in a phased manner… The security system will be further strengthened by strengthening the parking system here,” Shukla said.
The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme was launched by PM Modi in 2023 for the development of railway stations. Currently, the scheme envisages to take up 1,275 stations for modernisation across the country. The scheme also envisages the development of stations on a continuous basis with a long-term approach. It involves the preparation of master plans and their implementation in phases to improve the amenities at the stations, according to an official statement.
The facilities include improvement of station access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lift and escalators as necessary, cleanliness, free Wi-Fi, kiosks for local products through schemes like ’One Station One Product’, better passenger information systems, executive lounges, nominated spaces for business meetings, landscaping etc. keeping in view the necessity at each station, it added.
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