Rajkot: The British-era railway station of Saurashtra’s commercial capital — Rajkot — is all set to get a major facelift in the next three years.Considering the rising railway traffic and increased number of trains, Rajkot is one of the 67 stations in India proposed to be developed as A-1 class. Also, in order to ease the traffic at the main junction, the existing Bhaktinagar station is proposed to be developed as a satellite facility for trains to originate and terminate.The number of trains and passenger traffic is expected to rise after the double-track work between Surendranagar and Rajkot is completed by by 2021, a senior railway officials said. They are awaiting the final nod for the yard plan, which will help decide on increasing the number of platforms and other infrastructure.Ravindara Shrivastav, senior divisional commercial manager (DCM), Rajkot said, “The length of Bhaktinagar station platform has been increased to handle trains with 24 coaches. We plan to develop it as a satellite station where the trains will originate and terminate. We are planning considering the growth in the coming 10-20 years. Currently, Bhaktinagar station is only used for trains coming and going towards Junagadh and Somnath, and it has only two platforms. Most of the trains passing through Rajkot junction originate from Okha, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Somnath and Junagadh.Moreover, Rajkot junction has only one entry point, which is also a narrow road passing through an extremely congested area. Therefore, it is also planned to develop the other side of railway station which falls in Rukhadiya Colony.“We plan to develop this area as front entry point and provide booking office, waiting room, parking, train indicator and all other facilities so that passengers can enter the station from both the sides. This will also ease the traffic chaos at the current front entry,” said Shrivastav.Currently, the road from Rukhadiya Colony does not connect with the main road, but it’s expected that in coming years, the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) will develop it. Once Bhaktinagar is developed as a satellite station, the railways will provide facilities such as water filling for coaches that will help trains coming from Junagadh and Somnath. At present, these trains halt for 15 minutes at Rajkot junction.

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