Margao: The redevelopment of Curchorem-Sanvordem railway station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS) is progressing in a phased manner, with authorities setting Dec 2026 as the target date for completion, according to South Western Railway (SWR) officials.The Rs 16-crore project, aimed at modernising one of South Goa’s key railway stations, will eventually include a new 12-metre foot overbridge, two lifts, upgraded platform shelters and an improved station building, Manjunath Kanamadi, chief public relations officer, SWR, Hubbali, said.A significant component of the station upgrade already completed is the expansion of passenger shelter space on both the platforms. He said that the railway station, which sees an average daily footfall of nearly a thousand passengers, was being equipped to comfortably handle current passenger volumes once the expanded shelters are ready, in addition to the facilities already in place.SWR maintained that construction activity was being confined to designated zones to avoid disrupting passenger movement. “All construction activities are being undertaken with due safety precautions while making every effort to minimise inconvenience to passengers,” Kanamadi said.The redevelopment is part of a larger initiative of SWR covering 51 stations across its network under the ABSS, which seeks to transform railway stations into modern, passenger-friendly hubs. Once complete, SWR officials said, the 138-year-old Curchorem-Sanvordem station will offer significantly upgraded amenities, marking a major shift from its current infrastructure. The Sanvordem Curchorem Rail Consumers Association is hopeful that following the redevelopment of the station, its long-pending demand for the restoration of long-distance trains—Vasco-Miraj-Vasco daily train, Vasco-Solapur via Bijapur train, and Vasco-Chennai weekly express—will be fulfilled.ABSS is a policy for major upgradation of stations “to improve the ease of movement of passengers and integration of stations with surrounding areas.”
