Indian Railways’ Tirupati railway station set to be world-class

Indian Railways’ Tirupati railway station set to be world-class! Work on the re-development of Tirupati Railway Station in Andhra Pradesh is about to start! The Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) recently successfully conducted an online pre-bid meeting for the Tirupati Railway Station, which was attended by several prospective developers including GMR, Oberoi and Ambience. The station is estimated to be re-developed at a cost of Rs 510 crore and it would be built through the public-private partnership (PPP) mode on the Design, Build, Finance, Operate, Transfer (Model). The cost of the Tirupati station development portion is Rs 230 crore. According to the proposed plan, the station would have areas like administrative areas, security and station operation staff area and miscellaneous technical area. Indian Railways aims to re-develop the Tirupati station within three years, and the tenders would be opened in mid-June. The re-developed Tirupati Railway Station would also be equipped with amenities like hospitality, executive lounge, food court and dormitories. The Vice-Chairman of RLDA Ved Parkash Dudeja said that with the city’s rich cultural heritage and the numerous educational institutions present, the re-development of the station would facilitate commercial development and boost tourism. Tirupati, called the ‘Best Heritage City’ is known for being a Vaishnavite pilgrimage destination as the shrine of Tirumala Venkatesh Temple welcomes lakhs of visitors every year to the city. Tirupati Railways Station: Salient features 1.The station will be re-developed in an area of 3 acres of vacant land which belongs to the Railways. Built based on an airport model, the station will have separate entry and exit points and also consist of separate departure and arrival halls. There will also be designated drop off and pick up points outside the station. 2. The building will be a green one, with a sustainable and efficient energy design, maximum use of natural light and ventilation. 3. Air space and land parcels would be developed into commercial spaces for retail and revenue generation purposes. 4.The station would be differently abled-friendly, having amenities like access ramps, elevators and tactile flooring. 5. The developer would be bound to operate and maintain the station for a concession period of 60 years before it can be transferred.