Surat, 6 December 2014

Hunger of development witnessed in Surat city is unmatched. The city team led by Mayor went to Delhi to make presentation on proposed restructuring project of existing railway station before the Indian Railway Station Development Corporation Limited.

City architect Sanjay Joshi was part of this team. He showcased a model of proposed design of railway station. The original plan was to make presentation before the Railway Minister, but he skipped the event for some other engagement. The team of Surat, therefore made presentation before top officials of Railway ministry and Government of India.

Mayor of Surat said, the city wants its railway station matching to its economic status. Railway station offers first glimpse of city and it should be clean, good for hygiene and beautiful.

As per the presentation, the total area of project will be 2.27 lakh sqm. Total cost will be Rs. 2,500 crore. If started on time, the project may complete by year 2019.A special purpose vehicle committee will be formed. It will include members of Railway board, SMC and state government. 1 lakh sqm area will be occupied by solar panel for electricity generation. SMC will offer 4 FSI to project. Entire area of railway station will be covered and therefore there shall be no chance of unauthorized person entering inside the complex. The entry will be permitted only through RFID token.

The project is capable to earn 100% profit once ready, as per an estimate.

More details:

Surat Railway station which is number 2 railway station in terms of earning it makes for the Railways will be reconstructed. According to Surat Municipal Commissioner Milind Torvane, Mayor Niranjan Zanzmera, MP CR Patil and Darshna Jardosh, the presentation was made in this regard before Principal Secretary of Prime Minister’s office,Railway Minister and others in Delhi last week. After a green signal received from Delhi, tenders have been invited for appointment of consultant for reconstruction project.

In a press conference held today in Surat, the city leaders said that after they showcased the model of proposed railway station at Surat in Delhi, the Railway Minister and other top officials of Railway department requested to leave the model there in Delhi. They said Surat will be the first railway station to have facilities more than airport and it will be developed under Public Private Partnership(PPP) model for the first time in India.

They said, Prime Minister office’s AK Sharma is taking special interest in this project and he has directed the officials to decide a deadline of completion of this project.

Surat Railway station witnesses daily twolakh footfalls. It is India’s one of the biggest and most congested railway station where every hour, 8,000 passengers move.

According to municipal commissioner Milind Torvane, the railway station here will witness dail 4 lakh footfalls by year 2030 as per an estimate. Once the new railway station is ready, it will be able to accommodate movements of 8 lakh passengers daily.

Surat based architect Sanjay Joshi has prepared a design of proposed railway station on honorary basis. He said the new railway station is built as per proposed design will have 600 running meter platform instead of existing 300 meter. Not a single passengers will need to come of the train without having platform. He said there will be four 60-storeyed towers and over1 crore sq ft construction through FSI 4. By selling the space for shops and offices, the cost of reconstruction will be recovered.

Driving vehicle straight to 12.5 meter height, direct access to platform from vehicle, bus service connected to ground floor of railway station, possibility of movement in 360 degree in any direction from the train, provision of converting complex to air conditioned facility, food plaza, multiplex and malls on railway station, modern waiting lodge, restricted entry to complex only for those having ticket – etc are some of the features the new railway station will have.

The project will cost Rs. 3,000 crore.

More updates:

The centre has asked to set up a special purpose vehicle to implement the project and report the railway ministry about project’s progress every fortnight. The land to be acquired for the project belongs to Railway department, State Transport and Municipal Corporation. The railway station has been planned considering estimated traffic in year 2050.

Proposed plan of Surat Railway Station