Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposed inauguration of the Jalandhar Cantt Railway Station on 17 July,2026, railway authorities have intensified preparations for the event. As part of the preparations, Railway Board Chairman Satish Kumar visited the Jalandhar Cantt Railway Station on Saturday to inspect the ongoing works and review the readiness of the station. He was accompanied by senior railway officials during the inspection.
A few days earlier, the General Manager of the railway zone, along with Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu, had also visited the station to assess the progress of the redevelopment work and review preparations ahead of the Prime Minister's visit.
Railway Board Chairman Satish Kumar
Speaking during the inspection, Satish Kumar said the redevelopment of Jalandhar Cantt Railway Station is part of the Centre's ambitious Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, under which around 75 railway stations are being modernised. He said the initiative aims to completely transform both old and new station buildings by upgrading passenger facilities while preserving the unique identity and heritage of each station. He added that the redevelopment focuses on improved accessibility, modern waiting areas, enhanced circulation spaces, better lighting, digital passenger information systems and world-class amenities to provide a better travel experience.
The Railway Board Chairman also highlighted the Centre's continued focus on strengthening railway infrastructure in Punjab. He said seven new railway line projects have been announced in the Union Budget, which will improve connectivity, enhance operational efficiency and support the region's long-term economic growth.
Big changes at the station
One of the biggest changes is the construction of a large double-height air concourse, giving passengers more space to move comfortably inside the station and a heavy steel roof now covers the platforms, offering better protection from rain and sunlight, slip-resistant flooring has been installed to improve passenger safety, while energy-efficient LED lights have been added across the station.
New things for passengers
Passengers will now be able to enter the station from two different sides of the city, along with the existing entrance from the Jalandhar-Ludhiana National Highway, a new entrance has been developed from the Ramamandi-Dakoha Road side and this is expected to reduce travel time and make the station more convenient for people coming from different areas.
Other new additions
The redevelopment also includes two new foot-over bridges, one of these bridges will directly connect the parking area with the railway platforms, making it easier for passengers to reach their trains without difficulty and along with this several large structures have also been added and the station now has a 40-metre-wide trough roof covering about 200 metres of platform length, a 36-metre-wide air concourse, a newly built second station building and a much larger parking area.
Final stage of redevelopment
Railway officials say the redevelopment project is in its final stage however, some work is still pending before the station is completely ready and during recent inspections by senior Railway Board officials and Divisional Railway Manager Sanjeev Kumar, several unfinished works were identified.
