Puri Railway Station Redevelopment on Fast Track, Says Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

Bhubaneswar: Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, reviewed the ongoing redevelopment work at the Puri Railway Station today, underscoring Indian Railways’ commitment to upgrading key infrastructure under the Amrit Station Scheme.

During his evening inspection, Vaishnaw expressed satisfaction with the pace of work and directed officials to fast-track the remaining construction to meet project deadlines. He also highlighted that land acquisition for the much-awaited Puri-Konark Railway Line is progressing steadily.

“The redeveloped Puri station will be a model of ‘Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi’, blending cultural heritage with world-class infrastructure,” the Minister said while interacting with the media. He added that the initiative reflects the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who laid the foundation stone for the ₹177.41 crore project on 18th May 2023.

The upgraded Puri station, once completed, will feature a Green Building Design (Gold Standard) that can withstand high wind speeds of up to 250 kmph. The station will include:

✦ Key Infrastructure Developments:

• Total Building & Concourse Area: 24,185 sq.m.
• Circulating Area: 26,100 sq.m.
• Platform Area (8 Platforms): 21,600 sq.m.
• Structure: Ground + 3 floors

✦ Passenger-Friendly Amenities:

• Automatic ticket vending machines, baggage scanners, and tourist booking counters
• Food court, shops, Jana Ahara, centralized CCTV monitoring
• 4 escalators, 5 lifts (including 1 staff lift)
• 23 retiring rooms and 150-bed dormitories
• Paid lounge, free waiting lounge, baby feeding room
• 60-bed TTE rest room, child help desk, and “May I Help You” booths

✦ Divyangjan-Inclusive Features:

• Barrier-free access, non-slippery walkways
• Specially designed toilets and water taps on each platform
• Dedicated parking spaces and high-visibility signage

Vaishnaw was joined during the inspection by Parmeshwar Funkwal, General Manager, East Coast Railway, and H.S. Bajwa, Divisional Railway Manager, Khurda Road, along with other senior officials.

A large part of the construction has already been completed, bringing the vision of a modern, eco-friendly, and accessible Puri Railway Station one step closer to reality.