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News18
3 days ago
- Business
- News18
Charbagh To Get A Royal Upgrade, Here's What's Changing At Lucknow's Grand Station?
Last Updated: The new plan includes two major concourses - one measuring 120m x 115m for the Northern Railway zone, and the other 75m x 30m for the North Eastern Railway zone. The iconic Charbagh railway station in Lucknow, known for its royal Awadhi-British architecture and unique design that dulls the noise of trains, is all set to undergo a massive transformation. Built in 1926, this station is being reimagined as a world-class transit hub by 2026—without losing its heritage charm. What's Changing? As per TOI, the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) is leading the Rs 420 crore redevelopment plan, turning the station into a passenger-friendly space for over 1.4 lakh daily commuters. Two large concourses will be built – one measuring 120m x 115m for Northern Railway and the other 75m x 30m for North Eastern Railway. These are designed to handle up to 10,000 passengers during peak hours. There will be parking for 900 two-wheelers and 900 four-wheelers, dedicated drop-off zones, and better roads around the station. From cloakrooms and medical rooms to smart signage and baggage scanners, every detail is being planned for convenience. The current 9 platforms will increase to 11, all connected through the elevated concourse. Green features like rainwater harvesting, stormwater systems, and landscaped areas are part of the plan. Modern construction techniques will ensure speed, precision, and eco-friendliness. When Will It Be Ready? While the rear entry was initially expected by end-2025, it's now slated for May 2026 due to land and crowd challenges. Once that's done, the focus will shift to Charbagh's historic front façade. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Iconic Charbagh station wheeling towards a modern makeover
Come 2026, the railway's architectural gem will get two massive concourses, which will handle a rush of up to 10,000 passengers daily and offer a bouquet of facilities to travellers. The iconic Charbagh railway station building is a testament to Lucknow's cultural tapestry, weaving together Awadh's regal charm and British architectural finesse. Since its inception in 1926, this architectural gem—known for its unique design that muffles the clamour of trains—has been a bustling gateway for travellers. Now, it's poised for a major transformation, as the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) has laid out a Rs 420 crore redevelopment project to turn Charbagh into a world-class transit hub that blends heritage with cutting-edge functionality. A Vision for the future The project encompassing both the Northern Railway and North Eastern Railway zones will accommodate a staggering 1.40 lakh passengers daily while ensuring seamless connectivity, sustainability, and passenger comfort. The station's redevelopment is a delicate balancing act—preserving its historical essence while introducing modern amenities to meet the demands of a rapidly growing city. At the heart of the transformation are two massive concourses: a 120 metres x 115 metres structure for NR and a 75m x 30m concourse for NER, designed to handle peak-hour crowds of up to 10,000 passengers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is this legal? Access all TV channels without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo These concourses will be interconnected by multiple foot overbridges (FOBs), including Metro-integrated FOBs, ensuring effortless movement across platforms and city sides. 'The idea is seamless movement,' said a rail official. The western FOB will link directly to the Lucknow Metro's Charbagh station, connecting both NER station and NR concourses, with escalators and lifts for accessibility. The eastern FOB will tie Station Road and Kanpur Road directly to platform No. 1 and further. Elevating the passenger experience A sprawling ground plus six-floor building spanning 45,270 square metres at the rear will house airconditioned waiting areas, food courts, dormitories, and commercial spaces. New blocks on the east and west will enhance accessibility and aesthetics, while dedicated drop-off/pick-up zones and widened roads will ease traffic congestion. Parking facilities for 900 two-wheelers and 900 four-wheelers will cater to the station's bustling traffic. Passenger amenities are at the core of the design. Retiring rooms, cloakrooms, medical facilities, CCTV surveillance, baggage scanners, and smart signage systems will elevate the travel experience. The NR zone, which currently has nine platforms, will get two more — all 11 platforms to be accessible via the elevated concourse. This concourse will double as a vibrant hub with waiting areas, shops, and other facilities for travellers. Sustainability and innovation Sustainability is woven into the project's core. Rainwater harvesting systems, stormwater management, and landscaped public spaces reflect a commitment to environmental stewardship. The use of pre-engineered buildings, modular construction, and building information modelling ensures precision and efficiency, minimizing waste and maximizing durability. Progress amid challenges The transformation is well underway, with over 84% of the rear station building structure complete. Platform panel casting is finished, and external development is progressing. An integrated running room with 326 beds and a new workshop store are ready for handover. However, the journey hasn't been without hurdles. The rear entry project, initially slated for completion by Dec 2025, has been delayed to May 2026 due to challenges like the Kumbh Mela rush, the relocation of railway assets, and land availability issues. A 56-day block is currently in place to develop the concourse over platforms 2 through the rear entry is complete, railway operations will shift to the southern side, freeing up the northern front for Rail Land Development Authority to begin work on the station's iconic facade. Existing railway offices, rest houses, and utility structures are being relocated to make way for these new developments. Honouring a legacy Charbagh's historical significance is not lost in this transformation. The redevelopment respects its 1926 design, celebrated for muffling train sounds legacy, blending timeless elements with modern aesthetics that reflect Lucknow's evolving identity as a vibrant metropolis. A new chapter by 2026 As the project races toward its anticipated completion in the last quarter of 2026, Charbagh railway station is poised to emerge as a beacon of progress, a transit hub that honours its storied past while embracing the future. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Indian Express
18-07-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Chandigarh railway station redevelopment lags behind, passengers grapple with poor hygiene, crowding
Over a year after work began on a ₹462 crore redevelopment plan, the Chandigarh railway station remains a site of passenger discomfort, plagued by overcrowding, poor hygiene, inadequate seating, and safety concerns — despite official claims of 75 per cent completion. Part of the Centre's Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, the project was launched in January 2023 with a May 2024 completion target. It includes two G+3 buildings, 30 lifts, 10 escalators, a 72×80 meter air concourse, enhanced parking, AC restaurants, a food plaza, dormitories, and upgraded retiring rooms. Yet, for many of the 36,000 passengers who pass through the station daily, little has changed. 'I can't use these toilets — they're so unhygienic that anyone could get a UTI,' said Kiran, a traveller to Amritsar. 'The smell and the state of cleanliness are unbearable. You're just forced to hold it in.' Toilets remain in disrepair, with a few cleaning staff visible. The station's waiting areas are overcrowded, forcing commuters to sit or sleep on the floor. 'There's nowhere to sit. It's so uncomfortable in this heat,' said Harpreet, en route to New Delhi. 'It feels like an overcrowded market, not a train station.' Platform 1 was shut for nearly a month in mid-2024 for roof repairs, but passengers say there is little visible improvement. 'It just looks patched up. Nothing seems new,' said one commuter. Other platforms still lack proper surface pavements, posing difficulties for elderly or differently abled passengers. Wasim Khan, the construction supervisor overseeing the redevelopment, acknowledged delays. 'We've made progress, but it's a huge project. Realistically, it will take four years,' he said. He added that work on the DigiRoom and new water supply systems is underway. Safety remains a major concern, especially for women. 'My daughter studies in Delhi, and I have to personally drop her because I don't feel it's safe,' said Harpreet. 'There's hardly any police or RPF at night. It just doesn't feel secure.' Minimal CCTV coverage, inconsistent power backups, and a lack of crowd management continue to add to commuter woes. While food stalls remain functional and well-managed, passengers say they are not enough to offset the lack of basic infrastructure. 'The food stalls are fine, but they don't make up for the filth, the lack of seating, or the fear at night,' said Kiran. Officials from the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) did not respond to questions about the project delays or safety lapses. Station authorities said they were not authorised to speak on the matter. As work continues in phases, passengers remain cautiously hopeful. 'Trains are rarely on time, and the station is a mess,' said Kiran. 'But if the new facilities ever get completed, I just hope they'll finally give us a station that's clean, safe, and functional.'
Hindustan Times
17-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Land exemption given for tree felling for railway station work
Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has granted a special exemption under the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act (DPTA), 1994, to facilitate redevelopment of the New Delhi Railway Station. The move allows the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) to seek formal permission to fell or transplant 887 trees spread across a 115.88-hectare site. The exemption, issued via a gazette notification on June 5 but made public Tuesday, invokes Section 29 of the DPTA to bypass the area restriction in 'public interest.' '… in public interest, (the LG) exempts an area of 115.88 hectare… from the limitation of maximum one hectare area under sub-section (3) of Section 9 of the said Act for re-development of New Delhi Railway Station, Delhi under Delhi Preservation of Trees Act (DPTA), 1994,' the notification read. This provision has now been invoked thrice in recent weeks — previously for the Common Central Secretariat buildings and a flyover in northeast Delhi. To be sure, while the exemption clears a key procedural hurdle, it does not constitute approval for cutting or transplanting any trees. It merely enables the designated Tree Officer to examine the RLDA's application, which had previously been ineligible for consideration because of the site's size. 'This notification... shall not be considered as permission for transplantation/felling of trees,' the Act states. For the next step, the Tree Officer, in this case the deputy conservator of forest (central division), will independently scrutinise the application. This will involve due diligence under the DPTA, the Delhi Preservation of Trees Rules, 1996, and compliance with any court directions. The Tree Officer must apply due diligence and aim to minimise the number of trees affected by the project. Redevelopment of the New Delhi Railway Station has been in the pipeline since 2021. Initially pegged at ₹15,000 crore, the project has since been scaled down to ₹2,469 crore to enhance feasibility. Plans include construction of two linear station buildings on the Paharganj and Ajmeri Gate sides, an air-concourse, waiting areas, lifts, escalators, retail and office spaces. The station will function as an integrated Multi Modal Transit Hub. Connectivity is a key component: a network of elevated and at-grade roads is proposed to ease congestion. While the original plan had seven flyovers, revisions are underway, though a web of elevated roads will still link the site with other parts of the city, said an RLDA official. The June 5 exemption is part of a series of recent moves by the LG to fast-track large infrastructure projects that fall afoul of the DPTA's area limit. On June 6, Saxena issued a similar exemption for a 5.037-hectare site at the Common Central Secretariat project, involving 476 trees. A day earlier, he cleared a 2.16-hectare stretch for a flyover at the Nand Nagri–Gagan Cinema junction, where 27 trees are affected. A retired Indian Forest Service officer familiar with such cases said the exemption is a procedural mechanism, often used to allow legal processing of large-scale development applications. 'Without the exemption, the Tree Officer would not be able to even consider such cases. It doesn't mean permission is granted, just that the file can now be taken up,' the official said, adding that such provisions have been used in past projects as well.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Bagmane Group buys railway land for Rs 1,530 crore in Dwarka, Delhi
Bengaluru-based real estate developer Bagmane Group has acquired a 124,000-square metre railway land parcel at Sector 21, Dwarka , in Delhi for '1,530 crore, two people aware of the development said. The Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) had accepted Bagmane's bid to lease the land in 2023, but the deal was delayed due to the need to relocate trees from the site. The company has now identified a land parcel in Delhi for the relocation, the sources said. The acquired land can be used for both residential (55%) and commercial (45%). A new railway passenger terminal coming up adjacent to the site is expected to generate significant footfall in the area. The Delhi-NCR market has traditionally been driven by sustained investor interest across both traditional and emerging real estate segments. Amid all-time high residential demand, several large and listed developers and other entities continued to snap up land. Other than residential, commercial, retail, industrial and logistics and warehousing are also driving prime land deals in key locations across India. Anshuman Magazine, chairman and CEO, India, Southeast Asia, Middle East, and Africa at real estate services firm CBRE, said the deal underscored deepening investor confidence in the sector. "We anticipate this momentum to strengthen through 2025, reinforcing India's position as one of the most resilient and opportunistic realty markets globally," he said. Bagmane Group, a leading developer of commercial real estate with strong focus on technology parks and built-to-suit campuses, currently manages over 18 million sq ft of operational assets, with an additional 10-15 million square feet in various stages of planning and development. With a growing presence in key cities including Bengaluru, Chennai, and Delhi-NCR, Bagmane is steadily building a diversified portfolio to position itself for a potential Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) listing. In March, Bagmane acquired Cognizant Technology Solutions ' former India headquarters in Chennai for about '612 crore.
