ER readies blueprint on redevelopment of Howrah Stn
Times of India | 4 July 2026
Kolkata: The grand old Howrah Station, Asia’s oldest railway hub, will get two new platforms, extend the existing platforms to accommodate 22-coach trains and carry out redevelopment work to upgrade the facility and ease congestion, Howrah DRM Vishal Kapoor said on Friday. “If needed, a new terminal may be developed in the vicinity to ease congestion and make way for upgradation of the existing hub. While retaining the character of the grand old station building, we are working on all sorts of alternatives to integrate upgraded facilities,” he said.
A modern multi-modal transport system is being chalked out for the circulating area. This will be done by regulating traffic, allowing passengers better access.
The immediate plan is to commission new platforms. “While platform 24 will be thrown open this month, platform 16 should be completed by the fiscal end. It’s part of the Howrah yard remodelling package,” Kapoor said.
Considering the station’s immense operational pressure, ER intends large-scale extension of platforms – to accommodate 22-coach LHB trains. “Now, platforms 1-6 in the old complex can hold 11-car ICF trains. These platforms cover around 510 metres. Three platforms in the old complex can accommodate 22-car trains. In the new complex, all seven platforms (17-23) are full-length ( 650-metre) platforms,” Rahul Ranjan, senior divisional commercial manager, Howrah division, said. Expansion of four more platforms in the old complex — 10 to 13 (to be extended to 542, 591 and 547 metres) — will allow long-distance mail and express trains to halt at the platforms comfortably.
The DRM said, “Punctuality has improved considerably. On June 28, it was 100%. For the last 75 days, the punctuality scale has hovered between 85% and 95%.”
Meanwhile, the blueprint to execute the railway ministry’s aim for doubling Howrah station’s capacity by 2030 is being readied. “A comprehensive restoration and upgradation will take time; every bit of the old architecture must remain intact. Functional upgradation (across the circulating area) is already underway partially. But there are challenges like the heavy traffic flow hindering upgradation of a station that boasts of a 10-lakh daily footfall,” the DRM said.
Over the past one-and-a-half centuries, the station has evolved into the main link between Kolkata and the rest of India.