Vaishnaw pushes future-ready infrastructure at Borivali, Ambala, Mangaluru

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviewed redevelopment master plans for Borivali, Ambala Cantonment and Mangaluru Central stations. He stressed passenger convenience, minimal disruption to train operations, stakeholder consultations and creation of future-ready infrastructure to handle rising passenger traffic

New Delhi: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday reviewed the master plans for the redevelopment of busy railway stations, including Borivali, Ambala, and Mangaluru, during a meeting with senior railway officials.

“The Railway Minister emphasised that redevelopment works should be carried out with minimal inconvenience to passengers and without disrupting train operations,” a press note from the Railway Ministry said.

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“He stressed the need to create future-ready railway infrastructure while maintaining efficient day-to-day functioning of the station,” it added.

Officials said that the meeting aimed at addressing present-day congestion while creating capacity for future growth and improving passenger convenience through additional platforms, wider Foot Over Bridges (FOBs), improved inter-platform transfers, additional station entry and exit points, enhanced circulation areas, better multimodal integration, and seamless passenger movement.

Vaishnaw directed officials to engage with Members of Parliament, Members of Legislative Assemblies, local body representatives, state governments and other stakeholders during subsequent stages of planning.

“Their suggestions and local requirements will be incorporated into the final redevelopment plans to ensure that station infrastructure development reflects the needs of passengers and local communities,” the press note stated.

The Railway minister also stressed that station designs should be guided by a strong design philosophy focused on quality, durability and passenger convenience.

“Modern construction techniques, including the use of precast components and advanced construction systems, were discussed to facilitate faster execution while maintaining high construction standards,” officials stated.

Officials were also directed to ensure effective utilization of allocated funds and timely implementation of approved projects. “The review focused on Borivali Railway Station, one of the most important passenger interchange hubs on Western Railway. Unlike terminal stations, Borivali serves as a major boarding, de-boarding and transfer point for both suburban and long-distance passengers. The station currently handles about 191 long-distance train services daily in addition to around 1,200 suburban train services, catering to approximately 3.65 lakh passengers every day,” the press note stated.

“The redevelopment plan for Ambala Cantonment station was also reviewed during the meeting. Ambala currently serves 328 trains and handles daily passenger traffic of more than 44,000 passengers, which is projected to rise significantly in the upcoming years,” it added.

The review also covered redevelopment plans for Mangaluru Central station. The station currently handles more than 28,000 passengers daily and serves approximately 50 trains. Passenger traffic is expected to rise in the future, necessitating capacity augmentation and infrastructure enhancement.