By 2030, Kalupur to see 11 cr visitors
To turn Ahmedabad into a world-class station, team prepares projection report on basis of which passenger amenities will be upgraded
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 02:31:02 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=2009092920090929023101859d72dd8ad)
Feel the Ahmedabad railway station is crowded already? Wait till 2030 when 3.02 lakh people will visit the station every day, states a projection report drawn up by railway experts. The report was prepared as part of a project to turn Ahmedabad into a world-class railway station.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee had said that about 50 stations of the country including Ahmedabad and Porbandar were to be developed into world-class stations with international-level facilities. These stations will be developed for Rs 100 crore under Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
The Railway Board appointed a 10-member team of technical, financial and legal consultants for the project. “The team consulted all departments including commercial, financial, mechanical and operations, to prepare a projection report. The team tried to chalk up the scene likely to be witnessed at the station 20 years from now. On the basis of this report, Board will okay amenities to be provided to passengers,” said Ashok Garud, Divisional Railway Manager.
Growing traffic
Passenger traffic at the station is growing at more than 3.5 per cent per year, states the report. Currently, 1.47 lakh passengers visit the station each day. This is expected to rise to 2.14 lakh in 2020. By 2030, the station will be expected to handle more than 3.02 lakh people each day.
Annual figures
This means, by 2020, the station must handle an estimated 7.81 crore visitors in a year. This figure is likely to rise to 11.01 crore (per annum) by 2030. This is more than double the passenger traffic that the station witnesses currently. The report also takes into account corresponding increase in the number of people who arrive at the station to receive or see off the passengers.
The document has been handed to the chief project manager who heads the team. After studying it, he will submit it to the Railway Board for approval.
The station will be designed to handle crores of people, but what about the number of trains? Answered a senior railway official, “Currently, 118 express and superfast trains pass through Ahmedabad station. We expect three trains to originate from Ahmedabad every year. Also, we are implementing several changes to speed up existing trains. With bullet trains and other projects likely to materialise by 2030, it will be easy to handle the rush of passengers.”
Projected passenger traffic
Year Per day Per year
2010 1.47 lakh 5.53 crore
2020 2.14 lakh 7.81 crore
2030 3.02 lakh 11.01 crore
A world-class station will have...
As per guidelines issued by the Railway Board, the proposed world-class stations will have state-of-the-art station building providing amenities like food plazas, currency exchange counter, hotels, retail outlets, ATM facilities etc.
It is likely to have separate departure and arrival arenas to streamline passenger movement with proper connectivity to other transport modes; well-illuminated circulating areas, adequate signages, inter-platform transfer through elevators, barrier-free excess for the differently abled. The development will be done on public-private partnership basis.
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 02:31:02 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=2009092920090929023101859d72dd8ad)
Feel the Ahmedabad railway station is crowded already? Wait till 2030 when 3.02 lakh people will visit the station every day, states a projection report drawn up by railway experts. The report was prepared as part of a project to turn Ahmedabad into a world-class railway station.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee had said that about 50 stations of the country including Ahmedabad and Porbandar were to be developed into world-class stations with international-level facilities. These stations will be developed for Rs 100 crore under Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
The Railway Board appointed a 10-member team of technical, financial and legal consultants for the project. “The team consulted all departments including commercial, financial, mechanical and operations, to prepare a projection report. The team tried to chalk up the scene likely to be witnessed at the station 20 years from now. On the basis of this report, Board will okay amenities to be provided to passengers,” said Ashok Garud, Divisional Railway Manager.
Growing traffic
Passenger traffic at the station is growing at more than 3.5 per cent per year, states the report. Currently, 1.47 lakh passengers visit the station each day. This is expected to rise to 2.14 lakh in 2020. By 2030, the station will be expected to handle more than 3.02 lakh people each day.
Annual figures
This means, by 2020, the station must handle an estimated 7.81 crore visitors in a year. This figure is likely to rise to 11.01 crore (per annum) by 2030. This is more than double the passenger traffic that the station witnesses currently. The report also takes into account corresponding increase in the number of people who arrive at the station to receive or see off the passengers.
The document has been handed to the chief project manager who heads the team. After studying it, he will submit it to the Railway Board for approval.
The station will be designed to handle crores of people, but what about the number of trains? Answered a senior railway official, “Currently, 118 express and superfast trains pass through Ahmedabad station. We expect three trains to originate from Ahmedabad every year. Also, we are implementing several changes to speed up existing trains. With bullet trains and other projects likely to materialise by 2030, it will be easy to handle the rush of passengers.”
Projected passenger traffic
Year Per day Per year
2010 1.47 lakh 5.53 crore
2020 2.14 lakh 7.81 crore
2030 3.02 lakh 11.01 crore
A world-class station will have...
As per guidelines issued by the Railway Board, the proposed world-class stations will have state-of-the-art station building providing amenities like food plazas, currency exchange counter, hotels, retail outlets, ATM facilities etc.
It is likely to have separate departure and arrival arenas to streamline passenger movement with proper connectivity to other transport modes; well-illuminated circulating areas, adequate signages, inter-platform transfer through elevators, barrier-free excess for the differently abled. The development will be done on public-private partnership basis.
