Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid the foundation stone for redevelopment of 508 railway stations across the country virtually. The redeveloped stations would cost more than Rs 24,470 crore.

The chosen 508 stations are spread across 27 States and Union Territories, including 55 each in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, 49 in Bihar, 44 in Maharashtra, 37 in West Bengal, 34 in Madhya Pradesh, 32 in Assam, 25 in Odisha, 22 in Punjab, 21 each in Gujarat and Telangana, 20 in Jharkhand, 18 each in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, 15 in Haryana and 13 in Karnataka, among others.

Mr Modi said that those stations were a part of the plan – Amrit Bharat Stations scheme, in which almost 1,300 prime railway stations in the country will be redeveloped.

Mr Modi mentioned that 55 Amrit Stations would be developed at a cost of Rs 4,000 crore in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, 34 stations in Madhya Pradesh at the cost of Rs 1,000 crore, 44 stations in Maharashtra at Rs 1,500 crore, and prime railway stations in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala, among others will be redeveloped.

Master Plans were being prepared for the development of these stations as ‘City Centres’, with proper integration of both sides of the city. This integrated approach is driven by the holistic vision of the overall urban development of the city, centred on the railway station. These stations will have better seating on platforms, upgraded waiting rooms and free Wi-Fi, among other things.