The modernisation project of the Tirupati railway station, sanctioned a decade ago, is now back on track, with the Ministry of Railways according it administrative clearance.
The railway station will be designed aesthetically on international standards in a way that would reflect the spiritual significance of the city, which is known as the abode of Lord Venkateswara and sees thousands of passengers arriving by train here on a daily basis.
Member of Parliament (Tirupati) M. Gurumoorthy, who had raised the issue in Parliament, met Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw several times and finally secured the nod for the redevelopment project worth ₹299 crore, titled ‘Major Upgradation of Tirupati Railway Station’.
After the Railway Board directed the South Central Railways to take up the project, the latter came up with a masterplan to build a mega structure having a basement and a G+3 building on the southern side, apart from a G+3 building on the northern (main) entrance.
Two air courses with a width of 35 m will be developed to link the northern and southern sides. An arrival/departure concourse, waiting lounge, ticket counter, common/female waiting hall area, cloak room, rest rooms, VIP lounge, railway offices and food courts will be developed in the two buildings.
There will be 23 lifts, 20 escalators, information display system, public address system, CCTV camera and coach indication boards on international standards, said Dr. Gurumoorthy.
