In an initiative to decongest the pressure on select busiest junctions, Indian Railways is planning to develop satellite rail terminals in nearby cities to divert the rail as well as road traffic. For instance, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Sonepat and Faridabad may be developed as full-fledged satellite stations to ease out the pressure and reduce the traffic load from New Delhi Railway Station and Delhi Junction.
The national Capital too may have its own satellite stations like the pending project of Narela and Holambi Kalam Stations which figured in several rail budgets in the past.
"We are planning to develop some satellite terminals. Most of the urban areas are saturated now. It is impossible to reach the station in busy areas. We can have satellite terminals outside busy railway stations," Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said at a conference on US-India cooperation on smart transportation.
There are about 8,000 stations across the country out of which some of the busiest stations like New Delhi, Delhi Junction, Howrah, Chhatrapati Shivaji, lucknow, Chennai are quite saturated now.
Prabhu said the satellite stations could bring in much better development in the adjoining towns and also decongest the busy stations and cities automatically. Seeking cooperation with the US on safety, managerial ability and technology, Prabhu said India will be happy to collaborate and learn from the US in the rail sector. "We cannot reach US through rail but certainly we can have exchange ideas with one another on technology. We can work together," he said.
Prabhu also advocated integrated planning for transport management. "There is a need for integrated planning for transport management. Integrated approach, road-rail integration, and inland waterways and railways can also be integrated. If we have proper integrated approach then it will be good for us."