37 railway stations in West Bengal to be redeveloped, to cost Rs 1,503 crore
Kolkata (PTI): Thirty-seven railway stations in West Bengal will be redeveloped as part of the 'Amrit Bharat Station Scheme' at a cost of Rs 1,503 crore, officials said.
These are among the 508 stations in 27 states, the foundation stone for the redevelopment of which will be laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.
Among the stations in West Bengal are Sealdah, Malda Town, Bolpur, Barddhaman Junction, New Alipurduar, New Mal Junction, Tarakeswar and Rampurhat Junction, officials said.
The redevelopment of the 37 stations in the state will cost Rs 1,503 crore, while the total project cost is Rs 24,470 crore, they said.
The redevelopment project will install modern passenger amenities apart from ensuring a well-designed traffic circulation, inter-modal integration and well-designed signage for the guidance of passengers, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said, adding the design of station buildings will be inspired by local culture, heritage and architecture.
The 'Amrit Bharat Station Scheme' was launched to redevelop 1,309 stations. As part of this scheme, the foundation stone for redevelopment of 508 stations is being laid by the prime minister.
"These stations will be redeveloped at a cost of more than Rs 24,470 crore. Master Plans are being prepared for development of these stations as 'City Centres', with proper integration of both sides of the city. This integrated approach is driven by the holistic vision of overall urban development of the city, centred around the railway station," the PMO said.
Launched in December 2022, the Amrit Bharat station scheme aims to prepare a masterplan for railway stations and implement it in a phased manner to enhance facilities.
The facilities intended to be developed at the stations include foot-overbridges, escalators and elevators, two-wheeler and car parking areas, landscaping/horticulture, integrated passenger information system, signages, improvement of platforms and platform shelters, benches and washbasins, better illumination and power supply arrangements, and CCTV, among others.
The scheme envisages development of stations on a continuous basis with a long-term approach.
The stations are slated to have upgraded amenities such as improved access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lift/escalators as necessary, free Wi-Fi, kiosks for local products through schemes such as 'One Station One Product'.
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Special legislature session to pass resolution demanding re-implementation of MGNREGA: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said that a special session of the state legislature will be called soon to pass a resolution demanding the centre for re-implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
The CM said this at a meeting of Congress legislators at a hotel here, to discuss the nationwide "Save MGNREGA" mass movement organised by the AICC.
Deputy CM and state Congress President D K Shivakumar, all ministers, MLAs, and Legislative Council members were present.
The Congress has demanded that the centre scrap the new Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, and bring back the UPA-era MGNREGA.
Earlier in the day, the state cabinet decided not to accept the recently enacted VB-G RAM G Act, replacing the MGNREGA, and to take up a legal battle against it.
"A special session of the state legislature will be called soon to pass a resolution demanding the re-implementation of the MGNREGA," Siddaramaiah was quoted as saying at the meeting by his office in a release.
The MGNREGA was a scheme to create employment in rural areas for Dalits, women and farmers, he said. One hundred days of employment opportunities were available under this scheme in a year. "But, the central government has taken up the task of taking away this very employment," he alleged.
Accusing the central government of removing the name of Mahatma Gandhi from the scheme, Siddaramaiah claimed, "By doing this, Gandhi has been killed once again. This is the lesson taught to them by the Sangh Parivar."
Terming the centre repealing the MGNREGA as an injustice to crores of Dalits, he said, "Our struggle must be intensified. Those who have taken away the employment rights of the poor must be taught a lesson. The Sangh Parivar cannot tolerate the poor becoming economically empowered."
Calling for a mass movement to re-implement the MGNREGA, the CM said, every gram panchayat member should reach out to those working under the MGNREGA scheme.
"MLAs should also work to make people aware of the issue. An environment needs to be created where our struggle develops into a mass movement," he said, adding that it is unconstitutional to cancel a programme implemented by the Congress government and take away the right to employment from the poor.
