In a major infrastructure boost in Indian Railways, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, virtually inaugurated the modernised Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Itwari Railway Station on Thursday. Government of India upgraded 103 railway stations across 86 districts in 18 states and Union Territories under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme and Itwari Railway Station was also in the list. Among the list of 103 railway stations, 15 are in Maharashtra and three stations are in Nagpur division, including Itwari, Chanda Fort and Amgaon railway stations. During the event, the Prime Minister also flagged off a new weekly train service connecting Bandra Terminus in Mumbai to Bikaner in Rajasthan, aiming to improve connectivity between the two regions.

 

The renovated Itwari Railway Station in Nagpur has been renamed Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Itwari Railway Station. Itwari Railway Station comes under NSG-3 category, which has six platforms and approximately 11,828 passengers travel daily from this station. It is an important satellite terminal of Nagpur. Once plagued by traffic issues and poor parking, the station now features improved entry-exit points, organised vehicle lanes, two-wheeler parking, and better traffic regulation, all under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.The upgraded Itwari Railway Station, which comes under the South East Central Railway (SECR), now offers a smoother and safer experience for travellers. Designed to ease congestion and improve passenger flow, the station features modern amenities such as digital ticket counters, improved waiting rooms, and accessible facilities for differently-abled individuals. Commuter comfort has been further enhanced with the addition of a Jan Aushadhi centre for affordable medicines and a new railway coach restaurant. The redevelopment of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Itwari Railway Station goes beyond improved infrastructure, offering a visual and cultural treat.

 

The station displays the traditional Indian designs gelled with modern architecture, while interiors showcase Gond-style paintings, thread art, and handloom exhibits celebrating Nagpur’s rich heritage. The huge painting of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is the major attraction of the revamped station. Unique touches like a mosaic tribute to Netaji and installations inspired by Nagpur’s oranges add local character. A newly-built toilet complex, inspired by Bhubaneswar’s modern public facilities, supports cleanliness and accessibility. Of the 103 railway stations redeveloped at a cost exceeding Rs 1,100 crore, Uttar Pradesh has 19 stations, followed by Gujarat with 18 and Maharashtra with 15 stations. Tamil Nadu has nine upgraded stations, Rajasthan eight, Madhya Pradesh six, and Chhattisgarh and Karnataka five each.

 

Three stations each were redeveloped in Jharkhand, Telangana and West Bengal; Bihar and Kerala saw two each, while Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Puducherry had one modernised station each. The event was attended by many dignitaries -- Krishna Khopde, MLA, Nagpur East; ‘Padma Shri’ Dr Vikas Mahatme, former MP, Rajya Sabha; Dayashankar Tiwari, City President, BJP; Basant Kumar Chaurasia; and Kashinath Dekate. Deepak Kumar Gupta, DRM, SECR; Dilip Singh, Senior DCM, SECR; A K Suryawanshi, Chief Project Manager, Gati Shakti and other senior officers of SECR also were present during the event.