Prayagraj: In preparation for Kumbh 2031, authorities of North Central Railway (NCR) have approved major infrastructure projects in Prayagraj, including the construction of a modern holiday home for railway employees at Gaughat and the large-scale redevelopment of Subedarganj Railway Station.Railway officials said a budget of Rs 3.61 crore has been sanctioned for the construction of a multi-storey holiday home at Gaughat, and the tender process for the project has already started. The land, valued at nearly Rs 100 crore, remained under encroachment for almost 50 years before being cleared recently during a special anti-encroachment drive by the Railway administration.According to NCR CPRO Shashikant Tripathi, the proposed facility will provide accommodation and modern amenities for railway staff, especially during major events such as Magh Mela and Maha Kumbh, when a large number of railway employees are deployed in Prayagraj. Officials said the building will include multiple rooms, rest areas, drinking water facilities, toilets and other basic infrastructure to ensure comfortable stay arrangements for staff members.Meanwhile, preparations have also begun to expand Subedarganj station as a major satellite railway station before Kumbh 2031. Railway authorities have sanctioned Rs 13 crore for increasing the number of platforms from six to eight, and tenders for the construction work have been floated.Officials said two new platforms will be developed near the Sulemsarai side adjacent to the existing platform number six. For this, the current railway lines numbered two and three will be shifted. The entire redevelopment project is expected to be completed within 18 months.After redevelopment, the structure and numbering of platforms will also change. New platforms six and seven will be developed towards the GT Road side, while the existing platform six will become platform eight. Railway authorities said one of the key features of the project will be the alignment of all eight platforms in a single line of visibility.A new foot over bridge connecting platforms 1-8 will also be constructed to improve passenger movement and station accessibility.
