Govt. Planning Internodal Stations At 15 Cities; Rail, Bus, Waterways & Taxis At One Place!
Ajni in Nagpur and Kashi in Varanasi have already been selected to create the first Internodal Stations in India.
In a massive infrastructural push for decongesting urban locations, Govt. of India is planning to create internodal stations across 15 cities.
We will soon share the advantages of setting up such internodal stations, but before that, let us understand what exactly they are!
Internodal Stations Planned Across 15 Cities
Internodal Stations are hubs, wherein passengers can access trains, bus, taxis, rapid transit system, waterways, auto, private vehicles and more.
In short, internodal stations integrate railway stations, ports, bus stations, taxi stands, auto stands, parking of private vehicles into one common platform.
This is a massive exercise, and a special purpose vehicle will be created in collaboration with Ministry of Road Transport & Highways through National Highways Authority of India, Ministry of Railways and respective State Governments.
As per the initial plan, such internodal stations will be created across 15 cities, and the Nagpur and Varanasi would be the first to get such hubs.
A detailed project report or DPR is being right now created. Interestingly, airports are not covered under internodal stations.
The plan encompasses the next 30 years, as urban locations are increasingly becoming congested, and inter-city travel time is increasing at an alarming pace.
Imagine a person who has just arrived at New Delhi Railway Station at night 2 AM. If he needs to reach Anand Vihar Bus Terminal, at that time, he has no option other than to take an expensive auto or taxi ride.
Creation of such internodal stations would help such causes.
Major Advantages Of Internodal Stations
As per press note released by the Government, there are three main advantages of such internodal stations:
- Aggregated Footfalls: When all the passengers of railways, bus, inland waterways etc converge into one single location, then the aggregate footfall will dynamically increase, which will decongest other locations, and open up new revenue generation opportunities.
- Improved Passenger Experience: Passengers will not be required to scatter away, all over the city to avail different modes of transportation. He can access all transportation mediums at one single location, thereby saving time. Overall passenger experience will drastically improve.
- Sharing of Resources: Internodal stations can have Foot Over Bridges, waiting rooms, passenger amenities etc; and the cost can be borne by all concerned parties. This way, with less expense, greater services can be rendered, and overall, it is a win-win situation for all. As per the press note, “This lowers the investment requirements while increasing the overall synergies in the system”
Ajni in Nagpur and Kashi in Varanasi have already been selected to create the first Internodal Stations in India. They are expected to have 3 lakh and 1.5 lakh footfalls respectively, per day.
While Nagpur’s Internodal station would be spread across 75 acres, Varanasi’s would be spread across 30 acres.
We will keep you updated, as we receive more information on the development of Internodal stations across India.
Stay tuned!
