Bhubaneswar, November 13: The Bhubaneswar railway station redevelopment is progressing, with completion expected before 2026, according to East Coast Railway (ECoR) General Manager Parmeshwar Funkwal. The fully modernized station is anticipated to be operational by 2026.
The redevelopment will introduce separate entry and exit routes to ease passenger flow and reduce congestion.
ECoR is coordinating with the Odisha government to secure state-owned land on both sides of the station to facilitate these upgrades. Parmeshwar Funkwal explained, “Challenges such as limited road width and nearby residential areas are being addressed in discussions with the state government, and we’re optimistic about finding a solution soon.”
Key features of the revamped station will include lifts and escalators on every platform and an air concourse, which has already been completed despite significant construction complexities. “Installing the air concourse required intricate planning to maintain train operations and minimize passenger disruption,” Funkwal noted. With the concourse and structural components nearly complete, the station is now set to receive modern amenities.
The Bhubaneswar station redevelopment has faced numerous delays since 2016, when the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) first approved a multi-modal hub project. Despite a breakthrough MoU between Indian Railways and the Odisha government in 2019, delays continued until the railways assumed control in 2021. The redevelopment formally began on December 29, 2022, when Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw laid the foundation stone for ECoR’s ambitious transformation of the station, originally established in 1896.
