Nitin Gadkari lays foundation stone for development of intermodal station with cost of Rs 1,588 cr

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Wednesday laid the foundation stone for development of an intermodal station, to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 1,588.81 crore, in Nagpur. The intermodal station (IMS) is a passenger terminal infrastructure which integrates various transportation modes like rail, road, mass rapid transit system, bus rapid transit and other para-modal transportation modes.

Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stone for the development and maintenance of IMS at Ajni railway station in Nagpur Wednesday, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement. Intermodal stations allow passengers to change transportation modes during transit without leaving the station premises.

Speaking on the occasion, Gadkari stressed upon adoption of new ideas for improving transport facilities in towns and cities, the statement said. He also called upon planners to aim for reducing city congestion by aggregation of transportation nodes, effective city evacuation, and eliminating traffic due to transit passengers.

He emphasised on providing better passenger convenience for various transport modes, and to bring synergies into the available infrastructure, the statement said. "The station has been designed for horizon year 2050 with a capacity to handle 3.24 lakh passengers every day. The capital cost of this project is Rs 1,588.81 crore out of which the cost of development of IMS Nagpur, including relocation of railway quarters, structures, is Rs 1,288.81 crore, while the cost of improvement of road connectivity to IMS Nagpur is Rs 300 crore," it said.

The project includes construction of an environment-friendly building, it said, adding that its roof will be designed to collect rain water for harvesting, and installation of solar panels to reduce the overall energy consumption. The complex will provide world-class amenities like integrated ticket counters, kiosks, transit platforms, travelators, escalators, lifts, spacious waiting rooms, retail shops, food courts, among others, leading to improved convenience and comfort for transit passengers. It will also have car parking for 1,000 cars, 148 bus bays, internal roads for circulation.

(With inputs from agencies.)