Ambitious Railway Stations modernisation programme on the Ajmer Division got halted at various railway stations as Contractors fume over the cost escalation in the wake of GST. One among the stations on Ajmer Division is Udaipur railway station, which still awaits modernization activity hit due to semi-finished facilities.

The face lift that was supposed to happen long back could not take place since private companies did not show interest in it. Another issue is that of escalator and lift at the railway station.

The city station was supposed to be equipped with escalator and lift for the comfort of old and disabled. The plan for escalator was approved in August 2016. This work was supposed to be completed by March 2017. But till now, nothing has been done. People were given high hopes for this facility but all went in doldrums since contractors stopped all required work for lift and escalator after the application of GST in July. Contractors blamed everything on GST saying that the prices of construction material had gone high.

Railway declared in November 2017 that GST will not be applicable on the firms which were given contract before GST came in. Now that the contractors have started working again on the escalator and lift project, it is being assumed that they will give it a final shape at the earliest.

Modernisation of Udaipur railway station does not seem to happen the way it was projected. If private parties do not take interest in the face-lift for city station, it may be a blotch on Udaipur as smart city since during tourist season trains to and fro Udaipur are mostly packed and with no proper and modern facilities public might lose interest in railways. This would cause a negative impact on income through railways in tourist season. With tariff almost at par with flights many a times, it is all the more required to enhance the standard of trains and railway stations, both.