Jalandhar, July 8 (IANS) Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu on Wednesday visited the redeveloped Jalandhar Cantonment Railway Station along with senior officials of the Ferozepur Division to review preparations for the proposed visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is scheduled to inaugurate the station redevelopment project on July 17.
The minister expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw for this landmark gift to the people of Punjab and for transforming one of the region's important railway stations into a world-class passenger facility.
The redeveloped 110-year-old Jalandhar Cantonment Railway Station has been modernised at an approximate cost of Rs 125 crore while preserving its architectural heritage and incorporating elements that reflect the rich cultural ethos of Punjab.
The station now features a spacious double-height air concourse, heavy steel platform roofing, slip-resistant flooring, energy-efficient LED lighting, convenient entry from both sides of the city, and two new foot-over bridges.
Other key facilities include a 40-metre-wide trough roof covering 200 metres of platform length (8,720 sq. m), a 36-metre-wide air concourse spanning 1,770 sq. m, a newly developed second entry with a 300 sq. m station building, and a 4,855 sq. m parking area.
The Jalandhar Cantonment Railway Station currently handles an average daily passenger footfall of around 7,500. At present, 66 Up and 66 Down trains halt at the station, including two pairs of Vande Bharat Express trains, one Humsafar Express, one Garib Rath Express, and several Mail, Express and passenger trains.
The station is exclusively dedicated to passenger services and does not handle any goods traffic.
During the inspection, Minister Ravneet Singh reviewed the passenger amenities and ongoing arrangements and expressed satisfaction with the quality of the redevelopment works.
He emphasised that the upgraded station will significantly enhance passenger convenience and stand as a symbol of Indian Railways' commitment to providing modern, safe, accessible and world-class infrastructure while celebrating Punjab's cultural identity.
