Bhaktinagar station gets modern facelift

Rajkot: Western Railway on Tuesday showcased the redevelopment of Bhaktinagar railway station in Rajkot under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, highlighting upgraded passenger amenities and modern infrastructure developed at the station.

Chief public relations officer of Western Railway, Vineet Abhishek, interacted with mediapersons during a visit to the station and inspected the completed works. He briefed the media on the enhanced facilities introduced for passenger convenience.

An important industrial and commercial rail hub in the Saurashtra region, Bhaktinagar station has undergone modernization at a cost of Rs 26.80 crore, including ₹11.81 crore for station redevelopment and Rs 14.99 crore for construction of foot overbridges (FOBs). The station handles an average daily footfall of around 4,700 passengers.

Key upgrades include Kota stone flooring on Platform 1, additional covered sheds on Platforms 2 and 3, ACP-clad station buildings, and separate entry and exit gates. A revamped station building spread over about 8,600sq ft and a 2,760sq-ft concourse hall have also been developed.

The redevelopment includes air-conditioned waiting halls for men and women, a VIP room, improved sanitation facilities, upgraded signage systems, and better lighting and ventilation.

The station premises have also been landscaped with gardens and circulating areas covering over 25,000sq ft. Improved parking for two-wheelers, four-wheelers and Divyangjan, along with a tensile roof porch, has been added.

Passenger-friendly facilities such as ramps, tactile tiles, modular toilets, a 1-lakh-litre underground water sump and a 50,000-litre overhead RCC tank have also been created.

To improve passenger movement, work on a 12-metre-wide main foot overbridge and an additional 3.66-metre-wide FOB towards the Veraval side has been completed. Installation of modern lifts on both bridges is currently underway.