New Delhi, Feb 5 (NationPress) The redevelopment of 172 railway stations has been successfully finalized under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, which is designed to enhance accessibility to stations and surrounding areas, seamlessly integrating stations with both sides of the city. This initiative also focuses on improving facilities, including waiting halls and toilets, to provide superior amenities to passengers, stated Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday.

The scheme further includes the construction of wider foot over bridges tailored to handle passenger traffic, along with the installation of escalators and lifts, improved parking areas, and advanced passenger information systems. Furthermore, provisions have been made for multimodal integration and kiosks for the sale of goods to travelers.

Additionally, the initiative promotes sustainable and eco-friendly solutions, the introduction of ballastless tracks, phased development, and long-term plans for establishing a city center at the station. Currently, 1,337 stations have been earmarked for development under this scheme, as per Vaishnaw's written response in Lok Sabha.

The minister elaborated that the Indian Railways places utmost importance on bridge safety nationwide, having repaired, strengthened, and reconstructed a total of 8,626 railway bridges from 2022 to 2025 (up to December 2025).

A structured system for inspecting railway bridges is in place, with inspections conducted biannually by designated officials—once before the monsoon season and another detailed inspection following it. Certain bridges are inspected more frequently based on their condition, as determined by the Chief Bridge Engineer.

The comprehensive technical inspections of major bridges ensure that 20 percent of these structures are evaluated each year, the minister clarified.

Moreover, specific railway bridges undergo more frequent inspections based on their condition. Repairs are carried out when deemed necessary, as identified through these inspections. Special technical audits are also performed, with follow-up actions taken accordingly.

Inspections of subways and Road Under Bridges (RUBs) are similarly conducted before and after the monsoon. Measures have been implemented to alleviate water-logging in RUBs and subways, such as improved drainage in new designs, redirecting water to natural drains, constructing humps and cross-drains, sealing joints, and deploying high-capacity pumps at vulnerable sites, the minister added.

The methodologies for bridge rehabilitation are detailed in the Indian Railway Bridge Manual (IRBM). Compliance with the Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) and Inspection and Testing Plan (ITP) is ensured through effective contract management and adherence to general and special contract conditions.