SWR officials said the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), in charge of the project, has appointed New Delhi-based firm AKA as a consultant. “We’ve decided to take up work under PPP (public-private partnership) model. We will finalise a masterplan and submit documents to the railway board for approval soon,” said an SWR official.
However, a railway source said this work will remain on the drawing board for some more time. “There are multiple reasons. One, RLDA has so far not redeveloped any station in the country. This redevelopment is being planned under PPP. But the railways recently decided to opt for direct funding of works (engineering, procurement and construction, or EPC) instead of waiting for private capital through PPP model for most major stations to fast-track work. Earlier plans to opt for PPP model for station redevelopment received lukewarm response from private firms,” the source said. At Yeshwantpur and Cantonment stations, redevelopment is being done under EPC model.
Shyam Singh, Bengaluru divisional railway manager, and Aneesh Hegde, chief public relations officer, SWR, were unavailable for comments.
In December 2021, the ministry identified Cantonment station for redevelopment with world-class facilities and appointed Lucknow-based Sthapati Associates Private Limited as a consultant. In May 2022, the railways invited a Rs 442-crore tender for upgrading the station under EPC model. It was to be opened in June 2022. However, the work order is yet to be issued.
Yeshwantpur, the second-busiest railway station in the city, will be redeveloped by February 2024. New Delhi-based Gian P Mathur & Associates is the consultant for the project. SWR recently floated a tender to redevelop the station at a cost of Rs 330 crore.
The deadline for both Yeshwantpur and Cantonment redevelopment work is February 2024. The redeveloped stations will have space for retail stores, cafes, recreational facilities, food court, waiting lounge, play area for children, place for local products, etc. They will also have signages, lifts/escalators /travelators, adequate parking facilities, integration with other modes of transportation, CCTV and access control.
