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Anand Vihar Terminal (station code: ANVT) is a railway station on the Indian Railways network, located in the Anand Vihar locality of Delhi, India. It is under the administrative control of the Delhi Division of the Northern Railway zone of Indian Railways.
This station was officially inaugurated on 19 December 2009 by the then Union Railway minister Mamata Banerjee and the Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dixit.[1] Spread over 42 hectares (100 acres), the terminal is one of the largest railway stations and handles the vast majority of east-bound trains from Delhi since the conclusion of the second phase of development.
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Background
Delhi relies heavily on rail transport to manage its growing passenger traffic. Historically, long-distance trains from Delhi operated from three main stations: Delhi Junction (Old Delhi), New Delhi, and Hazrat Nizamuddin. However, these stations lacked the infrastructure to handle the increasing passenger load. As a key transit hub connecting northern states like Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi faced significant pressure on its existing rail facilities.
The need for an additional major terminal became evident as all eastbound trains from Delhi—serving states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and the Northeastern states—had to cross the Yamuna River because the existing stations were located on the western side of the city, across the river. To address this challenge and improve accessibility, Anand Vihar, situated in the trans-Yamuna region, was chosen as the location for a new mega railway terminal.[2]
In 2003, Union Railway Minister Nitish Kumar announced the construction of a new terminal at Anand Vihar.[3][4][5] The project was commissioned in the 2003 railway budget,[6] and in December of the same year, Northern Railway invited tenders to hire consultants for Phase I of the project.[7] The foundation stone for the terminal was laid by Nitish Kumar on 25 January 2004.[8] Phase I was initially scheduled for completion by 2006.[9]
Development
Construction of the Anand Vihar Terminal was delayed for various reasons but eventually began in October 2006 under Northern Railways.[10] The initial deadline for completing Phase I was mid-2007; however, it was later revised to March 2008 due to unforeseen delays. The station was cleared for public use by the Commissioner of Railway Safety on 20 October 2009[11] and was officially inaugurated on 19 December 2009 by the former Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee and then Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit. Regular train operations, however, commenced only on 10 March 2010.[12]
The station initially operated below capacity until a stampede at New Delhi railway station on 16 May 2010 highlighted the severe congestion at New Delhi station, which was handling 300,000 to 500,000 passengers daily. This prompted the Northern Railways to transfer more trains to the Anand Vihar Terminal to utilize the terminal effectively.[13][14][15][16][17] By mid-July 2010, the Northern Railways planned to shift six more regular trains to the Anand Vihar Terminal and also floated a global tender for consultancies to develop a masterplan for Phase II of the project.[18][19][20] This phase aimed to increase the number of platforms from three to seven and further augment the station’s capacity.
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The new terminal was developed to alleviate congestion at the following railway stations in the state of Delhi: New Delhi, Delhi Junction, and Hazrat Nizamuddin. Modeled after the Vashi station in Navi Mumbai,[21] the terminal also reduced road congestion by decreasing the daily influx of a million people into New Delhi. It is integrated with the Anand Vihar Interstate Bus Terminal and the Anand Vihar station of the Delhi Metro, creating a major transportation hub for the city. Additionally, plans are in place to widen the rail overbridge at Anand Vihar, as the current structure is insufficient to handle the increasing traffic.[22][23] Construction of a new RapidX rail station, part of the high-speed Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System, is currently underway near the terminal. This corridor, slated to become operational by mid-2025, aims to enhance connectivity and further integrate the terminal into Delhi's expanding multimodal transportation network.
Phase I
Phase I of the two-storey railway station was inaugurated on 19 December 2009, featuring three platforms, a coach maintenance yard, and feeder lines to Sahibabad Junction.[24] This phase, which cost ₹850 million (US$10 million), took five years to complete. During the inauguration, two new trains—the Anand Vihar-Lucknow Special Train and the Ghaziabad-New Delhi Ladies Special Train—were flagged off. Additionally, a Delhi–Panipat EMU with an increased number of coaches, from 12 to 15, was also inaugurated.
As part of the new terminal's operations, the New Jalpaiguri Express and Farakka Express, both passenger trains to West Bengal, were scheduled to originate from this station. Furthermore, three existing trains from Nizamuddin and New Delhi stations, running to Varanasi, Jogbani, and Motihari, were planned to shift to this terminal from March onward.[24][25] The original completion deadline for Phase I was mid-2007, later revised to March 2008, but the project faced further delays due to various reasons.[24]
Regular train services from the station, however, began on 10 March 2010.[12] Over time, many trains were gradually shifted from New Delhi and other stations to the Anand Vihar Terminal.[26][27] The station also serves as a stop for several EMUs of the Delhi Suburban Railway. Additionally, multiple special trains are operated from the station to manage the heavy passenger influx.[28][29][30]
Phase II
In Phase II, the number of platforms at the Anand Vihar Terminal will be increased to seven, enabling it to handle over three lakh passengers and up to 270 trains daily. The total cost of the terminal, including Phase I, is estimated at around ₹240 crore (US$29 million). Phase II will also include the addition of a new Passenger Reservation System (PRS).
This phase involves linking the terminal with the original Anand Vihar station (Station code: ANVR), a roadside station with two platforms currently serving only suburban trains. Northern Railways has invited consultants to upgrade the station under Phase II, aiming to provide world-class facilities.[31]
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The Anand Vihar Terminal offers a range of facilities, including booking offices, ticket counters, separate arrival and departure areas, reservation halls, waiting halls with amenities for differently-abled passengers, high-speed Wi-Fi, toilets, and parking areas. A cloakroom has been established on the first floor.[32] Modern amenities such as ATMs, a computerised ticketing system, foreign exchange counters, food plazas, and touch-screen enquiry systems are also available.[2]
The terminal has dedicated facilities for loading and unloading parcels, linen, and food items in the station yard instead of the platforms to ensure cleanliness. It features two escalators, six lifts, a special heritage gallery, and custom-built subways for physically challenged passengers.[2][33] It is the only station in India where loading and unloading of parcels, linen, and food items will be carried out in the station yard instead of on the platforms, deviating from the prevailing practice to maintain cleaner platforms.[11]
A rooftop solar project with a capacity of 1.1 MW was installed in 2016 under a Public-Private Partnership format to enhance the use of solar power, with maintenance handled by the operator for 25 years.[34] A foot over-bridge connects the terminal to the Anand Vihar Metro station, improving commuter convenience.[35] In 2020, the station received a five-star rating for its food-related facilities, making it the first in Delhi and the third in India to earn this distinction.[36]
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Under the Indian Railways station redevelopment plan, the Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation will revamp the Anand Vihar Terminal to provide an airport-like appearance and seamless travel experience. The redevelopment project, valued at ₹224.48 crore, will be executed in the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) mode. The project is expected to be completed within 2 years and 9 months after being awarded.[37]
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