Work begins to build new rly station building, elevated approach road

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, February 24

With the work to build a new main building and elevated approach road beginning on the ground, the redevelopment and upgrade of the Ludhiana railway station at the cost of Rs 528.95 crore has taken a big leap, the Northern Railway has said.

The work on the big ticket Central project has picked up pace as the architectural design for the new-look junction has already been approved, the geotechnical investigation, survey and relocation of existing structures have already been completed.

The project, which was awarded at engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode to a local firm on December 19, 2022, has been targeted to be completed by August 2, 2025.

PROJECT REPORT

• Project cost Rs 528.95 cr
• Contract value Rs 472.94 cr
• PMC cost Rs 4.56 crore
• Project awarded Dec 19, 2022
• Completion date Aug 2, 2025

Being undertaken through the EPC mode, the redevelopment work entails a host of new facilities and upgrade of existing services to give a new and modern look to the British era’s biggest junction in Ferozepur division, officials have revealed.

The total project cost of Rs 528.95 crore included the contract value of Rs 472.94 crore, project management consultant cost (PMC) of Rs 4.56 crore and other allied expenditures.

The development assumes significance as it was the first major revamp of the railway station established here way back in 1860.

Rajya Sabha MP from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora, who reviewed the progress of the project recently, told The Tribune on Saturday that the construction of east side of the main station building has begun with the foundation work and the casting of plinth beam up to 40 per cent. Besides, the work on the elevated approach road had also started with the substructure piling work in progress and casting of three piers.

It followed after the architectural design for the redevelopment and upgrade of the railway station was approved.

The construction and allied works have been expedited on the ground after the geotechnical investigation and survey work had also been completed while 98 per cent of the work involving relocation of existing facilities has also been done so far.

He said the Northern Railway General Manager has informed him that 75 per cent of the approvals for structural and MEP designs had also been granted so far.

Arora was apprised that the first floor structure work on the multi-level car parking had been done, following which the second floor slab construction had also been completed up to 80 per cent while the rest steel binding work was in progress.

While roof slab RCC work for the east side underground tank has also been completed, the detailed design approval was in progress for the concourse, foot overbridge, through roof and cover over platforms.

Officials briefed the ruling AAP member in the Upper House of Parliament from Punjab that the terrace floor slab of Type-II A block and Type-II B block had been casted for construction of multi-storied quarters.

The fourth floor slab shuttering work was in progress for Type-II C block and stilt floor slab shuttering work was underway for Type-II D block multi-storied quarters.

While the soil filling work was in progress for E block and stilt floor columns and shear wall shuttering work was underway for F block of Type-III multi-storied quarters, the shear wall casting and backfilling work was in progress for Type-IV multi-storied quarters.

The terrace slab has been completed and a mumty column steel binding wip was in progress for the construction of rest house and hospital buildings.

While the demolition of the main station building has already been completed, the relocation and detailed designs of the second entry station building, concourse and foot overbridges were also in progress.

The railway station development work involved relocation of 130 existing quarters, rest house, hospital, main station building and railway offices for clearance of the site for construction of main and secondary entry of the new station building.

What all it entails

The project entails additional entry from elevated road for smooth traffic flow, arrival and departure segregation in station area, new multi-level car parking and 12,600 sq m surface parking area, provision of proper second entry, iconic station buildings with green building certification (gold rated), new signage and digital displays for all travel-related information and spacious 72-m wide departure concourse with world-class amenities.

The existing main side station building spread over 3,780 sq m would be segregated into two station buildings, including the main side station building with ground plus five stories over 23,181 sq m and second entry building with ground plus two stories over 8,239 sq m.

The upgrade plan will replace the existing single foot overbridge, which connects main and second entry with four through foot overbridges connecting main, second entry and all platforms.

The existing seven platforms partially covered with cover over platforms (COPs) would be given complete coverage with through roof and COP.

The additional new facilities would include elevated road at plus nine-meter level along with walkway over 3,385 sq m, multi-level car parking ground plus two stories with each measuring 42.2 m x 82.5-m over 10,248 sq m, departure air concourse measuring 72 m x 67 m at plus 9 m level over 5,350 sq m and through roof at 18 m height, covering concourse and all platforms over 30,000 sq m, COP and platform surfacing over 24,190 sq m.

The new station building would have two arrival foot overbridges, each 8 m wide, over 5,600 sq m, circulating area main and second entry side over 32,000 sq m, platform development, comprising surfacing and COP over 25,000 sq m, 39 lifts and 28 escalators.

The revamp plan would create an additional entry on main entry side through an elevated road connecting the existing ROB outside the circulating area, entry to all seven platforms would be made through departure air concourse to segregate arrival and departure, besides constructing two new foot overbridges with a provision of arriving passengers to go on arrival foot overbridges on Ambala and Jalandhar ends of platform, respectively, and move out of the station area.

The new second entry would be connected to departure air concourse and both arrival foot overbridges with additional 8,000 sq m parking and dedicated pick-up and drop-off zones in segregated arrival and departure areas.

Besides, a ground plus two-storied building, measuring 86 m x 31 meter, extendable to seven stories, for commercial use has also been planned on the second entry side.

Minister acceded MP’s demand

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had approved the redevelopment and upgrade of the Ludhiana railway station following the demand raised by Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora, inside and outside Parliament. Arora, who had met Vaishnaw recently, had demanded major infrastructure uplift and revamp of the junction while highlighting its poor state. “It is the much-needed and much-awaited project to undertake the first major revamp of the railway station, which was opened by the Britishers in 1860. The junction has not undergone any major renovation since it was established,” Arora added.

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