Chandigarh: The Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) has set December 31 as the revised deadline to complete the ₹462-crore redevelopment of Chandigarh Railway Station, after missing eight previous targets amid major pending works on the Chandigarh side.While officials are utilising an ongoing 36-day traffic block to accelerate construction, basic infrastructure, parking networks, and passenger amenities on the Chandigarh entrance remain largely incomplete.Block period objectivesExecuted under the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) model, the project covers 1,92,248 square metres to transform the station into a world-class multimodal transit hub.Saurabh Singh, joint general manager (projects), RLDA, Chandigarh, stated that around 90% of the construction work is expected to be completed during the ongoing 36-day block, with the remaining 10 per cent wrapped up by year-end.“Construction of a dedicated passenger walkway on the Chandigarh side has already commenced,” Singh noted, adding that the station frontage will take shape post-block and functional lifts and escalators will be installed on each platform to manage peak-hour rush.Chandigarh side infra lagsThe infrastructure and amenities on the Chandigarh side remain largely incomplete, with essential traffic and parking upgrades still pending, including the refurbishment of the main parking area, internal road networks, and designated lanes for private vehicles, taxis, auto-rickshaws, and local buses.Key passenger security and comfort features also require finishing, such as constructing air-conditioned waiting halls on Platform No. 1, installing face-recognition CCTV cameras with an operational control room on the first floor, and closing unauthorised boundary openings to secure the station. Furthermore, redevelopment of the cargo and parcel areas, structural refurbishing of the old station building, and overall site beautification are yet to be executed.In contrast, major structural and cosmetic works on the Panchkula side are complete. The entrance features a redeveloped facade, aesthetically planned parking zones, and a completed main building housing railway offices and hotel rooms.
