What we delivered

  • A modular approach to train station redevelopment to accelerate construction time and reduce costs

  • Upgrade of aging infrastructure to accelerate the expansion of the rail network 

  • Improved passenger comfort through natural ventilation and lighting, clear wayfinding and one-way circulation to avoid congestion 

Services used
Bridge design and engineering / Rail infrastructure design / Structural engineering

With India’s growing population, train stations across the country are becoming increasingly overcrowded. While the rail network connects millions of daily commuters, aging infrastructure continues to limit the overall passenger experience.

The Ministry of Railways in India has been prioritizing station redevelopment to improve the passenger experience and better integrate stations with surrounding communities. However, working within live operational environments has presented significant challenges, often resulting in delays and cost overruns.

In response, the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) and the Ministry of Railways appointed Arup to help find a solution to these challenges. With a focus on enhancing the passenger experience, our team created a modular station framework designed for scalable application across India’s expanding rail network.

By supporting the redevelopment of the aging stations, this will help the country develop stations at a faster pace, while also offering a more convenient and comfortable experience for the people they connect and creating a vital center of revitalization.

A Modular Approach to Station Redevelopment

To inform the development of the Design Handbook for Modular Railway Stations, Arup engaged with RLDA’s in-house technical, operational, and maintenance specialists to make sure the modular approach to station redevelopment was suitable for construction within an active rail environment and integrated seamlessly with existing rail infrastructure.

 

Our multidisciplinary team in India and the UK worked together to ensure that constructability, technical suitability, maintenance, life-cycle costs, environmental impact, and sustainability were also incorporated into the Handbook. It also demonstrates how stations can be modernized within the complex constraints of some of the busiest train stations in the world.

The Handbook focuses on several typical station components—including entry and exit blocks, concourses, through-roof canopies, platform covers, and pedestrian bridges—and sets out a methodology for standardizing these key elements so they can be easily integrated and prebuilt offsite.

Rather than having to wait for components to be constructed on the project site, this modular system enables prefabricated structures to be added swiftly when required, significantly reducing the time it takes to develop stations. This method is also highly scalable and replicable, meaning that it can be applied to all stations to accelerate their development and deliver improvements cost-effectively.

By adopting this approach, Indian Railways is set to significantly cut its average station redevelopment time. This resilient framework also enables the redeveloped stations to be based on an expandable design, which means they can be easily expanded in the future in response to changing requirements.

Sketch showing typical railway station elements

Sketch showing typical station elements - entry/exit blocks, concourses, canopies, platform covers and footbridges - designed for seamless standardisation and off-site prefabrication.

Improving the user experience

Beyond its efficiency improvements, our team also designed the modular approach to enhance the passenger experience. This was achieved through several design choices that will influence every station’s redevelopment. For instance, the Handbook focuses on designing stations with open concourses, which enables their spaces to be naturally ventilated. Open concourses also fill stations with natural light and aid wayfinding by minimizing the use of structures that could obstruct sightlines.

Additionally, the guidance avoids congestion by separating arrival and departure spaces. With this design, passengers are encouraged to move in one direction, entering the station through the pedestrian bridge and exiting via the concourse. This one-way circulation of foot traffic results in a more comfortable experience for all passengers.

Arup remained as project advisors during the implementation of the designs and was on hand to further refine the modular solutions framework if required.

Safdarjung Train Station

The modular design principles were first put into practice during the redevelopment of Delhi’s Safdarjung train station, which is set to become a fully modernized train station offering a comfortable, airport-style passenger experience—all while remaining operational. Arup led the detailed design of the station, which is currently under construction.