In Gujarat, railway stations are among the busiest public spaces, seeing lakhs of passengers every day. However, a recent CAG audit has highlighted a major gap between how much these stations earn and the facilities they provide. Read on to know more!
Gujarat’s Highest-Earning Railway Station
The 2026 CAG Audit revealed that many railway stations under Western Railway do not have enough basic facilities for passengers. For Gujarat, it’s a proud thing to say that Ahmedabad and Surat are two of Gujarat’s busiest and highest-earning stations, earning ₹933.10 crore and ₹728.25 crore every year from nearly 3.85 crore and 5.03 crore passengers, respectively.
According to Ahmedabad Mirror, however, despite these earnings, Ahmedabad Railway Station does not have enough drinking water taps, seating arrangements and water coolers. Surat also has a shortage of proper drinking water taps.
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What Are The Other Issues Found At Ahmedabad Railway Station?
An incident was recorded at Ahmedabad Railway Station. On March 7, 2025, a porter was trying to stop an operational escalator on Platform 2 with a key before the Duronto Express arrived. As per Ahmedabad Mirror, other issues reported at Ahmedabad station include a plastic bottle crushing machine that had not been working for two years. Cleaning workers hired on contract at 10 railway stations did not have the required medical certificates. At five of these stations, some workers had also not undergone the required police verification.
The facilities gap is not limited to Ahmedabad and Surat. Several other Gujarat railway stations also have their share of problems like Vadodara does not have enough drinking water taps and fans. Rajkot lacked drinking water taps, seating, platform shelters and water coolers. Bharuch also had shortages of water taps, seating, water coolers and signage. Jamnagar and Valsad both lacked fans. Also, Valsad looks dirty with paan and gutka stains.
Accessibility for passengers with disabilities remains a bigger concern. Western Railway recorded a 74.66 deficiency score, the highest among all zones, while Eastern Railway scored 4.72. The audit also found that 16 of 18 NSG-1 stations lacked sign language announcements on digital screens. However, Western Railway ranked second-best for Minimum Essential Amenities.
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Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/ superfast1111
FAQs
Which two Gujarat railway stations are highest-earning in the country?
The two of Gujarat's highest-earning railway stations are Ahmedabad and Surat stations.
What are the basic facilities lacking at Ahmedabad railway station?
Ahmedabad Railway Station lacks drinking water taps, seating arrangements and water coolers.
Which Gujarat railway station lacks basic facilities?
The Gujarat railway station that lacks basic facilities are Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Bharuch, and Valsad.
