Bhaktinagar station redevelopment nears completion at ₹26.80 crore in Rajkot
Synopsis
Rajkot's Bhaktinagar station is almost ready for its second life — a ₹26.80 crore Amrit Bharat overhaul built to last 40-50 years, with new foot overbridges, a 25,000 sq ft garden, accessibility upgrades, and a clear plan to position it as a secondary hub easing the load on Rajkot junction as the Veraval line doubling progresses.
Key Takeaways
Bhaktinagar railway station in Rajkot has been redeveloped at a cost of over ₹26.80 crore under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme .
The upgrade is designed to meet passenger and operational needs for the next four to five decades .
New features include two foot overbridges (one 12 metres wide ), tactile pathways, a dedicated disability ticket window, and a 25,000+ sq ft garden.
15 of 17 stations in the Rajkot Division under modernisation are nearing completion, per Western Railway CPRO Vineet Abhishek .
The Amrit Bharat Scheme, launched in 2022 , targets the modernisation of over 1,300 stations nationwide.
Bhaktinagar will serve as a secondary hub to reduce load on Rajkot junction once the Veraval line doubling is completed.
Bhaktinagar railway station in Rajkot is nearing the finish line of a major redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, with Western Railway officials stating the upgraded facility has been engineered to absorb passenger demand and operational load for the next four to five decades. The project, executed at a cost of over ₹26.80 crore, is part of a wider modernisation drive covering 17 stations in the Rajkot Division.
Key upgrades at the station
The station has been retrofitted with separate entry and exit routes, dedicated lanes for taxis and auto-rickshaws, expanded parking for two- and four-wheelers, and reserved bays for passengers with disabilities. A landscaped garden spanning more than 25,000 square feet is being developed outside the premises to lift the overall arrival experience.
Inside, booking counters have been renovated, with a dedicated ticket window for passengers with disabilities. Tactile pathways assist visually impaired travellers, alongside upgraded signage, public announcement systems, separate air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned waiting areas, modern toilets, and a VIP room. Two new foot overbridges have been built, including a 12-metre-wide bridge linking the platforms.
What officials said
According to Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek, civil works are almost entirely wrapped up, with only lift installation pending. ‘Bhaktinagar station redevelopment has cost more than Rs 26 crore, and the maximum work has been completed. The sole objective is to provide our passengers with better facilities and world-class amenities,’ he said during a site visit.
Abhishek added that work has been substantially completed at 15 of the 17 stations in the division currently under modernisation.
Why Bhaktinagar matters for Rajkot
The redevelopment is being positioned as a long-horizon bet — Bhaktinagar is being readied as an important secondary rail hub to take pressure off Rajkot junction. Abhishek linked the station's expanded role to parallel infrastructure upgrades, notably the doubling of the rail line towards Veraval.
‘When the single-line section up to Veraval is doubled, movement will improve further. In the coming years, more trains are expected to operate from here, and dependence on Rajkot station alone will reduce,’ he said.
The bigger Amrit Bharat picture
The Bhaktinagar upgrade sits within the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, launched by the Ministry of Railways in 2022, which aims to modernise more than 1,300 railway stations nationwide. The programme focuses on passenger amenities, accessibility, traffic circulation, multimodal connectivity, and designs that reflect local heritage. More than 500 stations were folded into its first major phase.
What's next
Officials said the upgraded station is expected to deliver a safer and more comfortable travel experience while helping spread passenger traffic more evenly across the Rajkot rail network. With lift work pending and onward rail capacity in Saurashtra set to expand, Bhaktinagar's role in regional connectivity is poised to grow in the coming financial years.
Point of View
The disability-access ticket window, and the secondary-hub framing that depends on the Veraval doubling actually finishing. India's station redevelopment story has often been long on renderings and short on operational throughput; the real measure for Bhaktinagar will be how many trains it absorbs from Rajkot junction over the next five years, not how it photographs at inauguration.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Bhaktinagar station redevelopment project?
It is a modernisation of Bhaktinagar railway station in Rajkot under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, executed at a cost of more than ₹26.80 crore. Western Railway says the upgraded facility is designed to meet passenger and operational demand for the next four to five decades.
What new facilities have been added at Bhaktinagar station?
The station now has separate entry and exit routes, dedicated taxi and auto-rickshaw lanes, expanded parking, and reserved bays for passengers with disabilities. Inside, there are tactile pathways, a dedicated disability ticket window, modern signage, separate AC and non-AC waiting areas, modern toilets, a VIP room, and two new foot overbridges including a 12-metre-wide one.
What is the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme?
It is a nationwide programme launched by the Ministry of Railways in 2022 to modernise more than 1,300 railway stations across India. The scheme focuses on passenger amenities, accessibility, traffic circulation, multimodal connectivity, and station designs reflecting local heritage.
How will Bhaktinagar's upgrade affect Rajkot's rail network?
Bhaktinagar is being positioned as a secondary rail hub for Rajkot, meant to handle higher passenger volumes and reduce dependence on Rajkot junction. Officials have linked its growing role to the planned doubling of the single-line section up to Veraval, which will allow more trains to operate from the station.
How much of the work is complete?
Nearly all civil work at Bhaktinagar is finished, with only lift installation pending, according to Western Railway CPRO Vineet Abhishek. Across the Rajkot Division, 15 of the 17 stations under modernisation are reportedly close to completion.
