Bhubaneswar: On the very day new Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw assumed charge, Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) said that the railway station at pilgrim city Puri will be redeveloped as a World Class Transit Hub.
The RLDA, a statutory authority under the Ministry of Railways for the development of railway land, has invited bids for the redevelopment of the Puri railway station.
The objective of station redevelopment is to provide best-in-class amenities to passengers and enhance the travel experience. The station will be built on Design, Build, Finance, Operate, Transfer Model (DBFOT), and the tentative cost of the project (excluding the cost of redevelopment of station estate) is estimated at Rs 82 crore.
The scope of work includes the up-gradation and integrated redevelopment of the Puri railway station spanning 28,574 sq. m. and the development of the surrounding railway land.
The pre-bid meeting for this is scheduled for 15th July 2021, and the deadline for the bid submission is 17th August 2021.
“Puri is a historic city and a renowned tourist hub. The redevelopment of Puri Railway Station will bolster tourism prospects and position it among the leading destinations for religious tourism. The commercial development will also lead to a surge in business activities, boost real estate and generate employment in the region,” said VP Dudeja, Vice Chairman, RLDA.
The station is envisaged as a multimodal transit hub in line with international standards with segregation for entry and exit, baggage security, check-in area, an information centre /enquiry centre and art gallery.
It will have provision for differently-abled, including access ramps, lifts and tactile flooring. It will also have green building features with sustainable and energy-efficient design, maximum use of natural light and ventilation, rainwater harvesting, solar energy generation with a minimum GRIHA 3-Star rating.
Puri Railway Station is an NSG-2 Category terminal station under the Khurda division of the East Coast Railway (ECoR) Zone. It is one of the busiest stations of East Coast Railway, which has eight platforms handling 52 trains daily, including mail, express and passenger trains. In 2018-19, Puri handled a daily footfall of almost 16,680 passengers.
