Podanur Railway Station in Coimbatore gets renovation
The Podanur Railway Station, one of the oldest railway stations in Tamil Nadu, gears up for the first phase of overhaul as Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually laid the foundation for redevelopment of the station on Sunday. The funds allocated for the project here is ₹24 crore, of which ₹8 crore is for the first phase. Refurbishing of this station, constructed in 1862, is a long-pending demand of the local people.
This was part of the Centre’s initiative to redevelop 508 railway stations across the country with funds totalling more than ₹24,470 crore under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. The Indian Railways has planned to improve the facade and integrate the circulation area in both the main and second entry points with wider lanes for vehicle movement, install separate pedestrian pathways, and entry and exit facilities for vehicles, provide vehicular parking facilities for two-wheelers and four-wheelers, and beautification of the premises.
The interiors of the concourse, waiting hall, toilets, and booking offices will be improved and LED lighting will be provided. Facilities such as ramps with hand rails to access the platform, toilets, booking counters, and low height water taps are expected to be added.
As per information from the Railways, provision of additional platform shelters, repairs to old existing shelters, improvements to platform surfaces and provision of new platform fencing, LED signages, differently-abled-friendly facilities, and a six-metre-wide foot over bridge with five lifts are proposed.
N. Subramanian, general secretary of Podanur Rail Users’ Association, said drinking water facilities, fans in platforms, and shelters for platforms one, four, and five are to be set up using the funds. A few of the current regular waiting rooms will be transformed into ones with A/C, he told reporters.
During a press meeting, Vanathi Srinivasan, MLA, said works including the extension of the Peelamedu station platform will be carried out soon. At the event, Pollachi MP K. Shanmuga Sundaram listed out the requests put forth by several associations including Zonal Rail Users’ Consultative Committee, and Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee. Among the requests, he said, was that the Podanur Railway Station be declared a ‘Satellite Railway Station’.
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