Title - Indore Development Authority forms committee for new railway station

INDORE: Indore Development Authority (IDA) has decided to form a committee to look into the feasibility of constructing a new railway station at Kumedi village on MR-10. The decision to this effect was taken during its board meeting held on Wednesday. The new committee will submit its report within one and a half month.The master plan for Indore has reserved 300 acre land at the village for construction of a new railway station. To discuss the matter, IDA officials held a meeting with members of the railway board on Monday. Sources said, the railway board has raised certain queries including cost sharing of project.IDA CEO Deepak Singh said that the railway board raised several queries. It sought to know weather the land for development of the station will be given free of cost to the railway or will it have to shell out money for it and weather IDA will share the cost of developing the new railway station. It also offered to develop the station on PPP basis on the lines of the development of the Navi Mumbai railway station.Singh said that the railway board has said that they can develop a small additional station on around 15 acre land and full-fledged Indore railway station can be developed on 25 to 30 acre land. In addition, if the railway station is shifted to the proposed site, it will have to connect with Ratlam which will cost around Rs 250 crore.

IDA official said that currently, land is not in possession of the IDA and it will have to acquire land and pay compensation to farmers. IDA can share the cost only if it is allowed to use the remaining land for commercial purpose. The committee will explore whether commercial use of the remaining land will be viable. The committee will try to find out answers to queries of the railway board and thereafter the board will decide about its further course of action.