Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], August 7 (ANI): Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday termed the laying of the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 508 railway stations across the country under the 'Amrit Bharat Station Scheme' as “a historic day for the Railways sector.”

Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Pradhan said, "It is a very important day for the country. Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, PM Modi will lay the foundation stone to redevelop 508 railway stations at a cost of Rs 25,000 crore. A total of 25 stations will be redeveloped as part of this scheme. Railways are an important mode of transport for the common people of the country." 

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Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, ECP Railway GM Manoj Kumar Sharma, Rajyasabha MP Munna Khan, and Jatni MLA Suresh Routray were present at the event at the Khurda Road junction,.

Earlier, on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 508 railway Stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme through video conferencing from the national capital. These include 11 stations at Khurda Road and a total of 25 stations in Odisha.

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Several Union Ministers and the Chief Ministers or Governors also joined the foundation stone laying ceremony from their respective states, where the respective railway stations are to get a complete makeover.

The mega project is estimated to be worth Rs 25,000 crore (approx.).  

These 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.  

According to an official release, the redevelopment will provide modern passenger amenities along with well-designed traffic circulation, inter-modal integration, and well-designed signage for the guidance of passengers. 

The design of the station buildings has been inspired by local culture, heritage, and architecture.  

On Saturday, Prime Minister Modi said that the project will boost 'Ease of Living' and enhance comfort as well as convenience.

He said that the redevelopment to be done at a cost of almost Rs 25,000 crore will revolutionize how rail infrastructure is imagined in the nation. 

Noting that the Railways are the preferred mode of transport for people across the country, he has emphasised the importance of providing world-class amenities at railway stations. 

The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme was launched to redevelop 1,309 stations across the country. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)