New Delhi railway station

New Delhi railway station (station code: NDLS), situated between Ajmeri Gate and Paharganj is the main railway station in Delhi. It is the busiest railway station in the country in terms of train frequency and passenger movement. Around 400 trains start, end, or pass through the station daily, which handled 500,000 passengers daily in 2013[1] with 16 platforms.[2] The New Delhi railway station holds the record for the largest route interlocking system in the world along with the Kanpur Central railway station i.e. 48. The station is about two kilometres north of Connaught Place, in central Delhi.

New Delhi
Indian Railways station
Entrance to the New Delhi railway station complex
LocationNew Delhi, Delhi
 India
Coordinates28.6417°N 77.2207°E / 28.6417; 77.2207
Elevation214.42 metres (703.5 ft)
Owned byIndian Railways
Operated byNorthern Railways
Line(s)5
Platforms16
Tracks18
ConnectionsAuto stand, Taxi stand
Construction
Structure typeStandard (on-ground station)
ParkingAvailable (Paid)
Disabled access Available
Other information
StatusFunctioning
Station codeNDLS
Zone(s) Northern Railway zone
Division(s) Delhi
History
Opened1926 (1926)
ElectrifiedYes
Previous namesEast Indian Railway Company
Location
New Delhi
Location within Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi (India)

Most eastbound and southbound trains originate at New Delhi railway station; however, some important trains to other parts of the country also touch/originate at this station. Most pairs of Shatabdi Express originate and terminate at this station. It is also the main hub for the Rajdhani Express. New Delhi railway station is the highest-earning railway station in Indian Railways based on passenger revenue followed by Howrah Junction.

History
Main article: Northern Railway zone history

Before the new imperial capital New Delhi was established after 1911, the Old Delhi railway station served the entire city and the Agra–Delhi railway line cut through what is today called Lutyens' Delhi and the site earmarked for the hexagonal All-India War Memorial (now India Gate) and Kingsway (now Rajpath). The railway line was shifted along Yamuna river and opened in 1924 to make way for the new capital. Minto (now Shivaji) and Hardinge (now Tilak) rail bridges came up for this realigned line. The East Indian Railway Company, that overlooked railways in the region, sanctioned the construction of a single story building and a single platform between Ajmeri Gate and Paharganj in 1926. This was later known as New Delhi Railway station. The government's plans to have the new station built inside the Central Park of Connaught Place was rejected by the Railways as it found the idea impractical.[3] In 1927–28, New Delhi Capital Works project involving construction of 4.79 miles (7.71 km) of new lines was completed. The Viceroy and royal retinue entered the city through the new railway station during the inauguration of New Delhi in 1931. New structures were added to the railway station later and the original building served as the parcel office for many years.[4][5]

Major services & modernization

Major trains and modernization

Major services:- These trains originate from New Delhi railway station.

Rajdhani Express trains:-

Shatabdi Express trains

Duranto Express trains

Humsafar Express trains

Tejas Express trains

Train-18 trains

AC Superfast trains

Garib Rath trains

VVIP Superfast trains

Modernization

In 2007, Farrells were commissioned to modernise and expand the station in time for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Farrells are the lead consultant for the Masterplan for Indian Railways for the redevelopment of New Delhi railway station to be in line with the pace of modernisation and growth in the city centre. To provide station and property development over and around the station. The first phase was planned to be operational by the time of the games.[6] The redevelopment was expected to cost ₹60 billion (US$841.2 million) and 13 consortiums have placed bids to win the contract to upgrade and modernise the terminal[7] on a Build-Operate-Transfer basis for 30 years.[8]

The station occupies 86 ha[9] and 10–20% of it (50 acres) could be used for retail and commercial use.[8] In September 2009, the new building of the station on the Ajmeri Gate side was opened by Northern Railway; built at Rs250,000,000 by Gangotri Enterprises Limited and the building has a total floor area of 9,000 m2 spread over three floors.[10] Vivaan Solar, a Gwalior-based company has won the contract to install 1.1 MW of rooftop solar project at the railway station in 2016. The solar power project is to be set up under public–private partnership and will be executed on design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis. The company will also be responsible for maintaining the plant for a period of 25 years.[11] Vivaan solar has successfully installed and commissioned 1.1 MW on New Delhi railway station in the month of November 2017.

WiFi

Northern Railways concluded a tender in May 2013, won by a Mumbai-based company, to enable free Wi-Fi connectivity at the station, at an approximate cost of ₹8 million (US$110,000). Service became available later in the year.[12][13]

Redevelopment

In March 2020, long-term plans for a public private partnership (PPP) to change the railway station to improve passenger flow was described, with the Rail Land Development Authority put in charge.[14] The plans and timing are not firm, only the goal, to make a world-class railway station, most likely with arriving and departing passenger flows separated.

Delhi Metro

New Delhi railway station is served by New Delhi station on the Yellow Line of the Delhi Metro, and also by the Delhi Airport Metro Express (Orange Line), which connects it directly to Indira Gandhi International Airport and further to the Blue Line.[15]

See also

References
  1. "Train Operation from Delhi Stations". Government of India. Press Information Bureau. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  2. "Free Wi-Fi at New Delhi railway station soon". The Hindu. Chennai. 29 July 2013.
  3. "CP's blueprint: Bath's Crescent". Hindustan Times. 8 February 2011. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013.
  4. "A fine balance of luxury and care". Hindustan Times. 21 July 2011. Archived from the original on 14 December 2014.
  5. "When Railways nearly derailed New Delhi". Hindustan Times. 18 January 2011. Archived from the original on 26 September 2013.
  6. Terry Farrell & Partners to design Delhi Rly station Business Line, 4 July 2007.
  7. Rly in jam over cross holding of shares by New Delhi bidders Outlook, 22 September 2008.
  8. "business.outlookindia.com | Action station". Outlook India. Archived from the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  9. "New Delhi station to be equipped with hi-tech lighting system". The Times of India. 13 July 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  10. New Delhi gets new railway station building The Hindu, 16 September 2009.
  11. "NORTHERN RAILWAYS TO INSTALL 5 MW ROOFTOP SOLAR IN FOUR OF ITS STATIONS". Archived from the original on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  12. "New Delhi Railway Station To Offer Free WiFi Service; Yet Another Pilot?". MediaNama. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  13. "Free Wi-Fi connectivity at Delhi railway station soon". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  14. Dhawan, Bulbul (11 March 2020). "Indian Railways plans big! New Delhi Railway Station redevelopment to be first-of-its-kind project; top facts". Financial Express. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  15. "2 new metro stations on IGI link from today". The Times of India. 15 August 2011.
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