Stations will have more amenities for passengers like shopping plazas, budget hotels, restaurants, book shops, forex kiosks, parking lots among others, as per the modernisation plan.
Railways, which is in the process of modernising 50 stations across the country to world class level, will utilise Belgian expertise to carry out the effort which involves commercial utilisation of land around stations.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed here today by visiting Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium Didier Reynders and Railway Minister Mukul Roy on bilateral co-operation for effective development and modernisation of railway sector of both the countries.
"The MoU will usher in a new era of cooperation between two countries for effective development and modernisation in railway sector," Roy said after signing the MoU.
Railways have identified about 50 stations, including New Delhi, Howrah, Mumbai, Patna, Bhubaneswar and Chennai, for developing world class stations.
Railways have about 30,000 hectares of vacant land, out of which 10,000 hectares are in urban areas and can be exploited commercially.
Reynders said the initiative will kickstart Belgium cooperation for development of world class railway stations in India.
