PM inaugurates redeveloped Baijnath Paprola railway station in Himachal Pradesh virtually

Dharamsala (HP), May 22 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the newly redeveloped Baijnath Paprola railway station at Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday.

The station, reconstructed under the Amrit Bharat Station Yojana, was among the 103 railway stations inaugurated by the Prime Minister from Rajasthan's Bikaner.

Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, who joined the virtual inauguration ceremony from Karsog in Mandi district, thanked the Prime Minister on behalf of the people and said redevelopment of railway stations will give a significant boost to tourism in the state, besides generating employment opportunities.

In an official statement, Shukla said projects worth Rs 17,714 crore are currently underway in Himachal Pradesh. Additionally, a record Rs 2,716 crore has been allocated for the state in the Union Budget 2025-26.

The Baijnath Paprola station lies on the historic Pathankot-?Jogindernagar narrow gauge railway line built during the British era and falls under the Jammu division of Northern Railway.

Redeveloped with an outlay of Rs 7 crore, the station now offers a host of modern amenities including an air-conditioned waiting room, retiring room, baby care room, steel benches and an overbridge with dedicated parking facilities. It is also equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi, clean toilets, water ATMs and food courts.

A new platform shelter spanning 1,544 square metres has been constructed.

Additionally, the station has special amenities for persons with disabilities, such as separate toilets, entry ramps, dedicated booking windows and exclusive parking areas.

Given its proximity to key religious and tourist destinations such as Baijnath temple, Jwalamukhi temple, Chintpurni temple, Kangra Fort and Masroor temple, the upgraded station is expected to greatly benefit both local residents and visiting devotees.

As part of the Amrit Bharat Station Yojana, a total of 1,309 railway stations across India are being redeveloped. In Himachal Pradesh, the Amb Andaura, Palampur and Shimla railway stations are also being upgraded.

Speaking at the inauguration, Prime Minister Modi stated that the modernisation of railway stations will give a significant boost to tourism and employment opportunities across states. He also urged passengers to maintain cleanliness at railway premises. PTI COR BPL RUK RUK

Source: PTI