From remote stop to launchpad of govt's station revamp scheme: Deshnoke's makeover sparks hopes of economic revival

Indian Express

23-05-2025

Once a small, remote stop with minimal amenities, Rajasthan's Deshnoke railway station has undergone a major transformation, now boasting upgraded facilities and aesthetic installations.
This is this station from which Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday inaugurated a total of 103 redeveloped stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
It now features upgraded facilities such as a retiring room, a dormitory, a business & disaster management room, energy-efficient lighting, improved signage and coach indication boards.
A new gallery also honours Rajasthan's martyrs — Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, Major Pooran Singh Rathore and Grenadier Rafiq Khan.
Located about 30 km from Bikaner and nearly 200 km from the International Border with Pakistan, Deshnoke sees an average daily footfall of 1,000 passengers. It is also just 100 metres from the Karni Mata Temple, where the PM performed a pooja before the launch. The station's redevelopment, costing Rs 14.18 crore, factored in its importance as a religious tourism hub.
Currently, the station has a single platform that serves eight trains daily — six daily and two tri-weekly — including the Abohar-Jodhpur Express, Jaisalmer-Jaipur Express, Lalgarh-Dadar Express, Rishikesh-Barmer Express, Bikaner-Howrah Express, and Ganganagar-Jhalawar (Kota) SF Express.
The station now features patriotic décor following Operation Sindoor, with images of military equipment, portraits of martyrs, children's drawings celebrating the operation, a dedicated area honouring Rajasthan's 'Shoorveer' and a mural of rural life. A new tricolour flag flies prominently at the entrance.
While inspecting the station, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said stations under the Amrit Bharat scheme are being redeveloped with a 50-year outlook. 'The dream of redeveloping stations across the country is taking shape. We've aimed to incorporate local architecture and cultural heritage. Another 100 stations will come up within eight months. By 2027, nearly 500 stations (including big, medium and small) will be ready. This will bring a fundamental change in the passengers' travel experience,' he said.
Anurag Tripathi, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Jodhpur, under which Deshnoke station falls, said that the overhaul of the station would spur economic development in the area.
He said the old station had hardly any seating space, catering to around 100 passengers at a time. 'It will now be able to cater to a thousand people. The station has been expanded and the platform has been newly built, along with modern toilets, a waiting room, a retiring room and a disaster management room,' said the DRM.
'Deshnoke is an important station from the point of view of passenger convenience and culture. Lakhs of travellers come here for darshan. Apart from this, Nagaur and Pokhran stations are also being developed under the plan. Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Pali are big stations. Eight trains stop here and nine pass through. Along with this, many goods trains run from here. This station has been completed in less than two years. Almost 90 per cent of the construction is fresh,' Tripathi told The Indian Express.
A total of 15 stations in Jodhpur division are being redeveloped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, he said.
Station superintendent Shanti Prasad Saklani said the new station has been constructed using Jodhpuri sandstone, matching the region's architectural style. 'Previously, the platform was shorter than the train, forcing passengers to climb. Now, at 580 metres, it accommodates full-length trains,' he said. The station now has nine railway employees (excluding contract staff), two ticket windows, and a helpdesk for the differently abled.
Raj Kumar Sharma, who runs a tea stall outside the station, welcomed the redevelopment but called for more express train halts. 'Only one express train stops here. For Mumbai or Gujarat-bound trains, people must go to Bikaner. The old station was poorly maintained. Because of the uneven platform structure, during the monsoon season, the whole station used to get waterlogged, even the ticket booking room. If more trains stop here, it will benefit local businesses like mine,' he said.
Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme — launched in 2022 — 1,300 stations across India are set for redevelopment at a projected cost of Rs 1 lakh crore. Uttar Pradesh leads with 157 stations, followed by Maharashtra (132) and West Bengal (101). The scheme aims to develop railway stations as 'city centres,' with phased improvements based on local needs.
Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal correspondent with The Indian Express, Business Bureau. He covers India's two key ministries- Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. He frequently uses the Right to Information (RTI) Act for his stories, which have resulted in many impactful reports. ... Read More