Minister of Railways directs to re-categorize railway stations taking into account earnings, passenger footfall, strategic importance.

Ministry of Railways has comprehensively revised categories of various Railway Stations.

In new scheme of station categorization, even the small stations, because of footfall criteria, to get the higher level of passenger amenities leading to better passenger satisfaction.

In a major policy decision, Ministry of Railways has comprehensively revised categories of various Railway Stations with a view to make it more practical and rational. This comes after the Minister of Railways & Coal, Shri Piyush Goyal directed to re-categorize railway stations taking into account earnings, passenger footfall, strategic importance with a view to plan various passenger services and passenger amenities at stations in a more effective and focused manner. It will also help the passenger to have a better experience in relation to travel amenities at stations.

The earlier criteria for station categorisation was based on the annual passenger earnings only. Stations were categorised into 7 categories which A-1, A, B, C, D, E and F. The criteria for categorisation of stations have now been revised to include footfalls at the station. The stations have been further segregated based on the type and clubbed into 3 groups i.e. non-suburban (NS), suburban (S) and Halt (H). Further these groups have been put in grades ranging from NSG1-6, SG1-3 and HG1-3 respectively.

In the old criteria the number of stations with high passenger footfalls (handling high number of commuter and MST pass holders etc.) could not be covered into the higher category of station which led to these stations being eligible for lower level of amenities. As per the new criteria the number of footfalls has also been given equal weightage and is taken into account as criteria for categorisation of stations. Therefore, many stations like Kalyan, Panvel, Tambaram, Thane have qualified into the higher category and become eligible for higher level of passenger amenities.

Under this new scheme of categorization of railway stations, the stations have been clubbed into 3 groups namely Non-Suburban, Suburban and Halt. Further, these groups have been put in different grades ranging from 1-6. Accordingly following categories have been formed.


Category of stations Criteria of Earnings (in Rs.) Criteria of outward Passengers handled

                                                       Non-Suburban

NSG 1                         More than 500 Crore               More than 20 Million

NSG 2                          100 to 500 Crore                    10 to 20 Million

NSG 3                         20 to 100 Crore                          05 to 10 Million

NSG 4                          10 to 20 Crore                             02 to 05 Million

NSG 5                           01 to 10 Crore                            01 to 02 Million

NSG 6                          Upto 01 Crore                              Upto 01 Million


                                              Total of (I) 5976

II                                                 Suburban

SG 1                          More than 25 Crore                  More than 30 Million

SG 2                            10 to 25 Crore                        10 to 30 Million

SG 3                            Upto 10 Crore                         Upto 10 Million


                                                Total of (II) 484

III                                                   Halts

HG 1                         More than 50 Lakh                      More than 03 lakh

HG 2                           05 to 50 lakh                             01 to 03 lakh

HG 3                            Upto 05 lakh                              Upto 01 lakh


                                        Total of (III) 2153

Total Number of stations (I+II+III) 8613

Presently, there are 5976 Non-Suburban Railway Station, 484 Suburban Railway Stations and 2153 Halts, which makes total number of stations as 8613. This categorization of stations has been done for the period 2017-18 to 2022-23.

General Managers shall have powers to categorize a station as NSG-4 category if it is a place of Tourist importance and/or is an important junction station.

In addition, Ministry of Railways has given GMs full powers to sanction out of turn safety related works without any limit. The following amenities will be provided at all the stations irrespective of their category for safe performance of journey by passengers:
Foot over bridge
High level platform
Trolley path for movement of wheel chair

For improving stations and passenger interfaces: More amenities has been provided to lower category of stations like:
Waiting halls
Platform shelters
Lifts
Escalators
Digital charts display
Illumination
The train/coach indication board

In view of the new criteria even the small station will get the higher level of amenities which will lead to better passenger satisfaction.

Courtesy:pib.nic.in