In yet another developmental project planned by the Indian Railways, Surat city in Gujarat is going to get international standard facilities. Surat railway station will be developed in a world-class multi-modal transport hub by the year 2020! Railways will be working along with the Gujarat State Government to revamp the railway station area and by revamp, they mean to take it to a world-class level. The station will be equipped for seamless transit, bus terminal and also other transport modes in the city and a parking space of about 900 vehicles. The project cost is estimated at Rs. 5000 crores.

The SITCO, a joint venture between the Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation Ltd (IRSDC), Surat Municipal Corporation, and Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation is undertaking the project and has already sent out proposals to interested parties.  The Indian Railways are also developing the other stations like Habibganj railway station in Madhya Pradesh and Gandhinagar station in Gujarat into airport-like transit hubs.

This multi-modal transport hub will have a swanky railway station, connecting bus terminal, wide station lobbies, retail and office spaces in commercial towers. There were will seamless boarding and many connecting bridges to other facilities made available. “For the first time in the history of the country the central government, state government and the urban local body are coming together to make a multi-modal transport hub by pooling their lands,” says SK Lohia, MD of IRSDC. There are also plans to connect the Surat metro, BRTS and suburban network, he added. With an aim to connect so many facilities together, the Surat multi-modal transport hub will be costliest till now.

Surat railway station will be the third one in the country to get such international-standard facilities. There will be an at least three lakh commuting from this stretch once developed estimates Lohia. It will be developed will also be developed following the norms of the green buildings.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 01, 2018 10:51 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).