Parliament Question: Developments Works under ABSS for Kerala

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2836 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.08.2026 DEVELOPMENTS WORKS UNDER ABSS FOR KERALA 2836. SHRI K C VENUGOPAL: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) the details of the total number of railway stations undergoing modernisation works under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS) in the country particularly in Kerala, State/UT-wise and Station-wise; (b) the number of delayed and incomplete works under the said scheme in the country particularly in Kerala, State/UT and Station-wise; (c) whether any responsibility has been fixed against the officials/contractors for failing to deliver the projects on time and if so, the details thereof; and (d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to solve the prolonged delay in these works and the immediate steps taken/being taken by the Government to restore the basic facilities at the affected stations? ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW) (a) to (d) Ministry of Railways has launched Amrit Bharat Station Scheme for redevelopment of stations with a long-term approach. So far, 1340 stations have been identified for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, out of which 35 stations are located in Kerala. The names of stations identified for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in Kerala are as following: § Page 1 of 6State No. of Names of Stations Stations Kerala 35 Alappuzha, Angadippuram, Angamali For Kaladi, Chalakudi, Changanassery, Chengannur, Chirayinkeezh, Ernakulam, Ernakulam Town, Ettumanur, Ferok, Guruvayur, Kannur, Kasargod, Kayankulam Jn, Kollam Jn, Kozhikode, Kuttippuram, Mavelikara, Neyyattinkara, Nilambur Road, Ottappalam, Parappanangadi, Payyanur, Punalur, Shoranur Jn., Thalassery, Thiruvananthapuram Central, Thrisur, Tirur, Tiruvalla, Tripunithura, Vadakara, Varkala Shivagiri, Wadakancheri Completed Stations of Kerala : Development works at railway stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in the country including Kerala has been taken up at a good pace. Details of stations completed in Kerala are as under: No. of State Name of Stations Stations Kerala 16 Angamali for Kaladi, Chalakudi, Changanassery, Chirayinkeezh, Ferok, Guruvayur, Kuttippuram, Mavelikara, Nilambur Road, Parappanangadi, Shoranur Junction, Thalassery, Tirur, Tripunithura, Vadakara, Wadakancheri Page 2 of 6The development works at other stations are at different stage of execution / tendering / master planning. The activities for development at other stations have also been taken up at good pace and progress of some of the stations is as given below:  Angadippuram station: The works of improvement of station building, new entrance porch, concourse, booking office, platform shelter, improvement of platform surface of platform no. 1 & 2, waiting hall, toilet, improvement of circulating area, parking, approach road, lifts, installation of Coach Indication Board, Train Indication Board and signages have been completed. The work of 6 m wide foot over bridge has been taken up.  Kasargod station: The works of improvement of station building, new entrance porch, improvements of booking office, concourse, improvement of platform surface of platform no. 2 & 3, improvement of circulating area, waiting hall, toilets, platform shelter, lifts, installation of Coach Indication Board and improvement of amenities for Divyangjan have been completed. The works of extension of platform no. 1, 6 m wide foot over bridge, escalator and parking at second entry have been taken up.  Kollam Junction station: The works of service building, multi level car parking and parcel building have been completed. The works of 12 m wide foot over bridge, air concourse, North terminal building, South terminal building and platform upgradation have been taken up.  Kozhikode station: The structural works of multi level car parking- first and second, East terminal building, West terminal building, staff Page 3 of 6quarters, railway health unit and railway office building have been taken up.  Payyanur station: The works of raising of platform no. 2 & 3, platform shelter, improvement of concourse, booking office, waiting hall, improvement of circulating area at second entry, parking, installation of Coach Indication Board and Train Indication Board have been completed. The works of improvement of station building, improvement of circulating area at main entry, lifts, amenities for Divyangjan and 6 m wide foot over bridge have been taken up. Further, development / redevelopment / upgradation / modernisation of stations on Indian Railways is a continuous and ongoing process and works in this regard are undertaken as per requirement, subject to inter-se priority and availability of funds. Development / redevelopment / upgradation / modernisation of a station is carried out based on category of station/condition/traffic handled etc. Amrit Bharat Station Scheme involves preparation of master plans and their implementation in phases to improve the stations of Indian Railways. The master planning, keeping in view the necessity of each station, includes:  Improvement of access to station and circulating areas  Integration of station with both sides of city  Improvement of station building  Improvement of waiting halls, toilets, sitting arrangement, water booths  Provision of wider foot over bridge/subway to commensurate with passenger traffic  Provision of lifts/escalators/ramps  Improvement of platform surface/ provision of platform shelter Page 4 of 6 Provision of kiosks for local products through schemes like ‘One Station One Product’  Parking development  Amenities for Divyangjans  Better passenger information systems  Provision of air concourse, executive lounges, Multimodal integration, landscaping, etc. The scheme also envisages sustainable and environment friendly solutions etc. as per necessity, phasing and feasibility and creation of city centre at the station in the long term. Development / Upgradation of railway stations is a complex in nature involving safety of passengers & trains and requires various statutory clearances such as tree cutting, heritage, fire clearance, airport clearance etc. These stations are in operation since long, so brownfield work challenges are being faced, such as shifting of utilities (involving water/sewage lines, optical fibre cables, gas pipelines, power/signal cables, etc.), infringements, operation of trains without hindering passenger movement, speed restrictions due to works carried out in close proximity of the tracks and near to high voltage power lines, etc. and these factors affect the progress of work and completion time. Indian Railways has a well established mechanism to monitor implementation of projects including their reviews, inspection and check for quality of works. Works are carried out adhering to the standards and specifications as laid down in various codes and manuals. Inspections and checks are carried out from time to time by various agencies and officials as per laid down instructions and actions for correction including damages are taken immediately. This is a continuous and ongoing process. Page 5 of 6Indian Railways has adopted a phased, passenger-centric redevelopment strategy to address space constraints, shifting of utilities and operational continuity at the brownfield station projects. Master planning of station estate carried out in a holistic way ensuring functional zoning, utilizing railway land efficiently. Detailed utility mapping and advance diversion planning are undertaken in coordination with local agencies to prevent service disruptions. Execution of works is carefully sequenced in phases, so that train operations and essential passenger amenities remain functional. Temporary facilities, clear signage and crowd management measures, wherever required, are also taken to minimize inconvenience to passengers during the redevelopment period. ***** Page 6 of 6