Prayagraj Rail Revamp: ₹16Cr Boost for Station & Staff

Ahead of the 2031 Kumbh Mela, the North Central Railway has approved multiple infrastructure projects in Prayagraj, including a new holiday home for railway employees at Gaughat and a major expansion of Subedarganj Railway Station.

Railway officials said ₹3.61 crore has been allocated for the construction of a multi-storey holiday home at Gaughat, with the tendering process already underway. The site, estimated to be worth nearly ₹100 crore, had reportedly remained under encroachment for close to five decades before being cleared recently through a special anti-encroachment drive conducted by railway authorities.

According to Shashikant Tripathi, the facility is being developed to accommodate railway staff deployed during large-scale religious gatherings such as the Magh Mela and Maha Kumbh, when operational manpower requirements in Prayagraj rise sharply. The building will feature rooms, rest spaces, drinking water arrangements, toilets and other essential amenities for staff convenience.

Simultaneously, redevelopment work is progressing at Subedarganj station, which is being upgraded into a major satellite rail hub for Kumbh 2031. The railway has sanctioned ₹13 crore to expand the station from six platforms to eight, and tenders for the project have already been issued.

Officials said two additional platforms will be constructed on the Sulemsarai side next to the existing platform six, which will require the realignment of railway lines two and three. The expansion work is expected to be completed within the next 18 months.

As part of the redevelopment, the station’s platform configuration and numbering system will also be revised. New platforms six and seven will be built towards the GT Road side, while the present platform six will be redesignated as platform eight. Authorities said the reorganisation is aimed at improving operational efficiency and visibility across the station.

In addition, a new foot over bridge connecting platforms 1 to 8 will be constructed to improve passenger circulation and accessibility within the station premises.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.