Prime Minister on Thursday virtually inaugurated five redeveloped railway stations in Chhattisgarh under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, part of a nationwide upgrade of 103 railway stations aimed at improving passenger amenities and infrastructure.
The newly inaugurated Amrit stations in Chhattisgarh are Ambikapur in Bilaspur division, Urkura, Bhilai, and Bhanupratappur in Raipur division, and Dongargarh in Rajnandgaon district under Nagpur division. The inauguration ceremony at Ambikapur station was attended by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. The Prime Minister emphasised that India’s infrastructure growth has gained global attention, citing examples such as the Chenab Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir, Bogibeel Bridge in Assam, Atal Setu in Mumbai, and the upcoming Pamban Bridge in Tamil Nadu. He added that modern trains like Vande Bharat and Namo Bharat symbolise India’s accelerated development. “India is transforming its rail network. In the last 11 years, more than 34,000 kilometres of new rail lines have been added, alongside the construction of hundreds of road overbridges and underpasses,” said PM Modi during the address.
Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, 32 railway stations across Chhattisgarh were selected for redevelopment at a total estimated cost of ₹1,680 crore. Of these, work on five has been completed, with the rest in progress. Facilities under the scheme include separate waiting areas for women, ramps for persons with disabilities, and upgraded passenger infrastructure. Chief Minister Sai described Ambikapur, the administrative centre of Surguja district, as a key tribal region now gaining prominence on India’s railway map. “All five redeveloped stations represent a leap forward for passenger services and connectivity in Chhattisgarh,” he said, expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister. The revamped stations feature grand entry gates, upgraded toilets, modern ticket counters, spacious waiting halls, coach indication systems, digital boards, high-mast lighting, platform shelters, and accessible facilities for differently abled passengers.
Dignitaries attending the inauguration events at the respective stations included Chhattisgarh Governor Ramen Deka at Urkura, Union Minister of State Tokhan Sahu at Bhilai, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao at Bhanupratappur, and MP Santosh Pandey at Dongargarh.
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