Gandhinagar: Indian Railways’ first two world-class railway stations with state-of-the-art amenities – Habibganj in Madhya Pradesh and Gandhinagar in Gujarat – will be ready by January 2019-end or February-beginning according to SK Lohia, IRSDC MD and CEO, the redevelopment work for both Habibganj and Gandhinagar railway stations is expected to be complete by January 2019, reports Financial Express.

Gandhinagar Capital railway station project envisages setting up of a 5-star hotel above the station premises. This Rs 250 crore redevelopment project is an SPV between the Gujarat state government and IRSDC. The new-look Gandhinagar Capital railway station will also have an airport-like feel with a dedicated transit hall, shops, kiosks, book stalls, food stalls, 600 seats for passenger convenience, modular clean toilets etc. The 5-star hotel on top of the station will have 300 rooms, which the state government hopes will cater well to tourists and businessmen, especially during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in future. The ground floor of the hotel, that is currently under construction, will be 22 metres above the ground. It will have 3 buildings, combined to give impression of the shape of petals.

The Times of India report published on November 22 however says that new Gandhinagar railway station will be ready only by September 2019. The Rs 550-crore project, the Leela Palace Hotel in Gandhinagar, which will also incorporate a railway station, has been pushed back and will now be inaugurated in September 2019. The railways and the state government wanted to inaugurate the hotel and railway station in 2019, along with the Vibrant Gujarat 2019 summit, said ToI report.