In the run-up to the re-development of Coimbatore Railway Station under Private-Public-Partnership mode, there is enormous anticipation in industry and trade circles that the project should address the main problem of vehicular congestion, both at the entrance and rear side.
Against the backdrop of Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) classifying the status of station development in Coimbatore under ‘Planning and Design stage’, votaries of development have voiced the need for acquisition of land by the Central Government from the State for purposeful re-development of the station.
There is enormous anticipation among the industrial and business community in Coimbatore that its economic development, in a large measure, hinges on the expansion of the Coimbatore Railway Station, N. Subramanian, Member, Divisional Railway Users Consultative Commiteee, Salem Railway Division, said, making a case for acquisition of the land surrounding the station for the redevelopment project at the recent (Coimbatore) Station Consultative Committee meeting.
The task of techno-economic feasibility study and preparation of master plan for Coimbatore Railway Station was entrusted with RLDA during 2022.
The consultancy tender has already been awarded and the Railway Board has provisionally approved the master plan. As per the correspondences in the Railway Ministry, the station was entrusted to Southern Railway to take up reevelopment work on PPP mode during March 2023.
According to RLDA, which has been mandated by Railway Board for developing the Coimbatore Station, the scheme of station redevelopment is in synergy with Smart City Project of the Central Government wherein the entire cost of station redevelopment is to be met by leveraging commercial development of spare railway land/airspace in and around the station.
The facilities proposed in a redeveloped station in Smart Cities include congestion free non-conflicting entry/exit to the station premises, segregation of arrival/departure of passengers, adequate concourse without overcrowding, integration of both sides of city wherever feasible, integration with other modes of transport system like bus, metro etc. user-friendly international signage etc.
The discussion at the Station Consultative Committee veered around exploring the scope for relocation of the offices of BSNL and State Bank of India, and for acquisition of the State Government land that houses the Registration Office and the rear portion of the Collectorate. The need for expanding the Good Shed Road by acquiring a portion of land belonging to a private school was also discussed.
It is time the City Corporation, business community, parliamentarians, legislators and media got their acts together to make things happen. Else, it will be difficult to bring about the economic progress of the region along desired lines, Mr. Subramanian emphasised.
