Parliament Question: Redevelopment of Lalgudi Railway Station under ABSS

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2913 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.08.2026 REDEVELOPMENT OF LALGUDI RAILWAY STATION UNDER ABSS 2913. THIRU ARUN NEHRU: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) the physical and financial progress of the redevelopment works undertaken at the Lalgudi railway station, the primary railhead serving the Perambalur Lok Sabha Constituency during the last three years, year-wise; (b) the details of the specific passenger amenities including new extended platforms, executive waiting halls and improved facade lighting completed under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS) during the said period; (c) the details of the funds allocated, sanctioned and utilised by the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) or the zonal railways for the said structural modernisation project; (d) whether the Government has identified constraints regarding the lack of adequate local bus connectivity and high auto-rickshaw fares affecting passengers commuting from Lalgudi station and if so, the details thereof; and (e) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to ensure the redeveloped station strictly complies with universal accessibility standards for Divyangjan passengers? ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW) (a) to (e) Ministry of Railways has launched Amrit Bharat Station Scheme for redevelopment of stations with a long-term approach. § Page 1 of 7Lalgudi station of Perambalur Lok Sabha Constituency, located in Tamil Nadu, has been identified for development under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. At Lalgudi station, the works of entrance arch, improvement of circulating area, parking, platform surface at platform no. 1, 2 & 3, new toilet and signages have been completed. The works of improvement of station building, lighting, porch, booking office, waiting hall, platform shelter, water booths and approach road have been taken up. 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 ● 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. Page 2 of 7The 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. So far, 1340 stations have been identified for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, out of which 77 stations, including Lalgudi station of Perambalur Lok Sabha Constituency, are located in Tamil Nadu. The names of stations identified for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in Tamil Nadu are as following: State No. of Name of Stations Stations Tamil Nadu 77 Ambasamudram, Ambattur, Arakkonam Jn, Ariyalur, Avadi, Bommidi, Chengalpattu Jn, Chennai Beach, Chennai Egmore, Chennai Park, Chidambaram, Chinna Salem, Chrompet, Coimbatore Jn, Coimbatore North, Coonoor, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Erode Jn., Guduvancheri, Guindy, Gummidipundi, Hosur, Jolarpettai Jn, Kanniyakumari Terminus, Karaikkudi Jn, Karur Jn, Katpadi Jn, Kovilpatti, Kulitturai, Kumbakonam, Lalgudi, Madurai Jn, Mambalam, Manaparai, Mannargudi, Mayiladuturai Jn, Mettupalayam, Morappur, Nagercoil Jn, Namakkal, Palani, Paramakkudi, Perambur, Podanur Jn., Pollachi Jn, Polur, Pudukkottai, Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central, Rajapalayam, Ramanathapuram, Rameswaram, Salem, Samalpatti, Sholavandan, Srirangam, Srivilliputtur, St. Thomas Mount, Page 3 of 7State No. of Name of Stations Stations Tambaram, Tenkasi, Thanjavur Jn, Thiruvarur Jn., Tiruchendur, Tirunelveli Jn, Tirupadripulyur, Tirupattur, Tiruppur, Tirusulam, Tiruttani, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Tuticorin, Udagamandalam, Vellore Cantt., Villupuram Jn., Virudhunagar, Vriddhachalam Jn. Completed Stations of Tamil Nadu: Development works at railway stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in Tamil Nadu have been taken up at a good pace. Details of stations completed in Tamil Nadu are as under: State No. of Name of stations stations Tamil 26 Ambasamudram, Bommidi, Chennai Park, Nadu Chidambaram, Chinna Salem, Coonoor, Karaikkudi Junction, Kulitturai, Mambalam, Manaparai, Mannargudi, Morappur, Namakkal, Palani, Paramakkudi, Pollachi Junction, Polur, Samalpatti, Sholavandan, Srirangam, Srivilliputtur, St. Thomas Mount, Thiruvarur Junction, Tiruvannamalai, Udagamandalam, Vriddhachalam Junction The activities for development at other stations of Tamil Nadu have also been taken up at good pace and progress of some of the stations is as given below: Page 4 of 7• Rameswaram station: The works of revamping of Multi Functional Complex building into retiring rooms, structural works of East and North terminal building, parcel office, residential tower, departure forecourt, arrival forecourt, substation building and sewage treatment plant have been completed. ⁠The finishing works of East terminal building and North terminal building, departure forecourt, sewage treatment plant, arrival forecourt, platform shelter and improvement of waiting hall have been taken up. • Chennai Egmore station: The work of parcel building, structural works of Gandhi-Irwin (GI) road side multi-level car parking, Poonamallee High (PH) road side multi-level car parking and sub-station building have been completed. The work of finishing of GI side multi- level car parking, PH side multi-level car parking, substation building, structural work of GI side terminal building, foundation work of PH side terminal building, arrival foot over bridge and air concourse have been taken up. • Virudhunagar station: The works of improvement of circulating area, parking, entry/exit gate, installation of Coach Indication Boards and Train Indication Boards have been completed. The works of improvement of station building, entrance porch and 6 m wide foot over bridge have been taken up. • Karur Junction station: The works of improvement of station building, 12 m wide foot over bridge, improvement of circulating area, parking, main entrance gate, waiting hall, toilets, parcel office building, improvement of platform surface and widening of platform no. 1 have been completed. The works of lifts and escalators have been taken up. Page 5 of 7• Thanjavur Junction station: The works of entrance porch, improvement of circulating area, concourse, subway, platform shelter, arrival lobby, exit gate, booking office, installation of Coach Indication Board, Train Indication Board and signages have been completed. The works of parking, lift and escalator have been taken up. • Villupuram Junction station: The works of new arrival building, Government Railway Police building, platform shelter, improvement of platform surface, booking office, parking, parcel office and signages have been completed. The works of 6 m wide foot over bridge, improvements of circulating area, concourse, departure building, entrance gate, installation of Coach Indication Board, Train Indication Board and escalator have been taken up. Further, development / redevelopment / upgradation / modernisation of stations on Indian Railways, including provision of passenger amenities like extension of platform, waiting hall, lighting, amenities for Divyangjan, etc. 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. Development / upgradation / modernisation of stations including under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme is generally funded under Plan Head-53 ‘Customer Amenities’. The details of allocation and expenditure under Plan Head-53 are maintained Zonal Railway-wise and not station-wise or state-wise. Tamil Nadu is covered under the jurisdiction of three railway zones, namely, Southern Railway, South Western Railway and South Coast Railway. For these zones, an allocation of ₹ 5,931 crore has Page 6 of 7been made over the last three financial years and current financial year, out of which an expenditure (up to June, 2026) of ₹ 5,198 crore has been incurred so far. Dindigul – Villupuram doubling project has already been commissioned at an approximate cost of Rs. 2,000 crore by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL). The bus connectivity to the station and auto rikshaw fare falls under the jurisdiction of the local authority/ state government. Further the approach road connecting to the lalgudi station is narrow and falling in the jurisdiction of local authorities. Indian Railways is taking all efforts to make its railway stations accessible for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjans) and passengers with reduced mobility as part of “Sugamya Bharat Mission” or ‘Accessible India Campaign’ of Government of India. In compliance of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, “Guidelines on accessibility of Indian Railway stations and facilities at stations for differently abled persons (Divyangjans) and passengers with reduced mobility” have been circulated and notified in the Gazette of India. The guidelines include provisions of facilities for Divyangjans and passengers with reduced mobility such as ramps at entrance, accessible parking, low height ticket counter/help booths, toilets, drinking water booth, sub-ways/foot over bridges with ramps/lifts, standard signages including Braille signages and tactile pathways for visual impairment, etc., which have been taken up for implementation in a phased manner and on the principles of reasonable accommodation. ***** Page 7 of 7