Seamless Connectivity with Intermodal Stations

IMS Katra and IMS Tirupati may sound like the names of Indian merchant ships but in reality, are two upcoming intermodal stations in the country under the aegis of the National Highway Logistics Management Limited (NHLML). These are designed to integrate multiple modes of infrastructure at a single location, with the bus terminal serving as the central component of the IMS

The intermodal facilities are envisioned to bring together local bus services, Indian Railways and other public and private transport systems under one unified infrastructure. This integration will not only enhance commuter convenience and reduce transfer times but also optimize land use, improve traffic circulation and reduce congestion in and around the precinct.

Katra is the base camp for the pilgrimage to Mata Vaishno Devi temple and is at an altitude of 914.4 m (3000 feet) above MSL, located at the foothills of the sub-Himalayan Shivalik hills. The site sees a maximum number of 50,000 pilgrims travelling to Vaishno Devi on peak day and this figure is expected to double in the next two decades.         

The intermodal station will come up on 25 acres where the entire transport coming to Katra from New Delhi-Amritsar-Jammu-Katra Expressway will land. It will have enough capacity to accommodate the vehicles and ensure smooth entry and exit. The approved IMS will be developed as a terminal infrastructure integrating various transportation modes of rail, road, air (helipad), bus, auto rickshaws, taxis and private vehicles at a single hub for seamless movement of people from one mode to another.

NHLML held a national level competition through the Council of Architecture for design ideas for each of the inter-modal stations and the best ideas were selected for implementation. The stakeholders are not just the government agencies but every citizen of India. These projects are not very viable on their own, so we need to integrate them with some kind of real estate development like hotels and amenities to make them more viable. We hope to complete the projects by 2030.

– Prashant Jain

“IMS Katra is a greenfield project”, said Prashant Jain – Vice President, NHLML. “The IMS is about 800 metres from the Katra railway station so passengers can disembark, take the foot over bridge (FOB) and after a walk of about 700 metres, arrive directly at the bus terminal. We also have a provision for ropeway implementation from the bus terminal to the Vaishno Devi Mata temple. We have incorporated a helipad into the model. Apart form that, we are providing ample parking facility for public and private vehicles.            

“The IMS model also highlights the real estate component in terms of basic amenities such as facilitation centre and yatra reservation counter. Facilities include hotel accommodation, food court, retail and entertainment/ cultural zone for the convenience of pilgrims and tourists. Other amenities such as passenger lounge, toilets and washrooms including for the specially-abled, cloak rooms, drinking water, pharmacy, ATMs, souvenir and book shops are proposed.

The mandatory infrastructure development will be undertaken by the government while the development of hotels and other amenities will come under the BOT model.”

The IMS Tirupati master plan envisions a world-class transport hub centred around the Central Bus Station located 800m from Tirupati Central Railway Station. Addressing severe congestion caused by high footfall due to tourist and pilgrim inflow, the IMS is expected to streamline passenger and vehicular movement, integrating inter-city, regional and local transport for improved mobility and accessibility. The site is currently impacted by air pollution from diesel buses, waterlogging caused by seasonal monsoon, waste mismanagement, noise pollution, urban heat effects and loss of green cover impacting biodiversity.

In addition to the facilities and amenities to be provided in IMS Katra, the IMS Tirupati master plan includes a traffic management system, bus bays, cycle and pedestrian paths, automated baggage transfer, real-time bus and train updates, digital signage and green initiatives such as EV charging stations, solar power utilisation, improved drainage, rainwater harvesting, waste recycling, sound barriers and tree plantations to enhance sustainability and urban resilience. Security & Surveillance would include 24/7 CCTV monitoring, emergency call buttons, police outposts and emergency response systems for passenger safety and AI-based crowd detection.

“For IMS Katra we have closed the tender and received the bids”, said Prashant Jain. “Development will happen in phases. We shall expedite the mandatory development like the bus terminal in two to two and a half years and the rest of the development can take place subsequently. For Tirupati, we are in the process of finalising the design. Once finalised we shall tender out within the next two months. We are focusing not just on pilgrimage sites but wherever there is a need to decongest the city. There is a proposal for a National Common Mobility Card (NCMC). We are in talks with the NPCI and other government agencies so that we can develop state-specific cards which can be used nation-wide across all modes of transportation. It can also be used as a debit card.”