'No real utility': Futuristic design of New Delhi Railway Station draws mixed reactions, minister terms it 'Amrit Kaal'

The pictures were also shared by Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw who called it "Amrit Kaal ka Railway Station" (The railway station of Amrit Kaal). The pictures soon went viral with over 25,000 likes and over 3100 retweets.

New Delhi: Railways Ministry Saturday shared pictures of the proposed design of the redeveloped New Delhi Railway Station with the images looking straight out of a sci-fi futuristic movie.

The photos drew mixed reactions from the netizens with some praising the design while others questioning whether it was feasible for Delhi weather. "Marking a New Era: Proposed design of the to-be redeveloped New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS)," tweeted the Ministry of Railways while sharing two pictures of the proposed design.

• Marking a New Era: Proposed design of the to-be redeveloped New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS). pic.twitter.com/i2Fll1WG59

  — Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) September 3, 2022 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Marking a New Era: Proposed design of the to-be redeveloped New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS). pic.twitter.com/i2Fll1WG59

  — Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) September 3, 2022

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  Marking a New Era: Proposed design of the to-be redeveloped New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS). pic.twitter.com/i2Fll1WG59

  — Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) September 3, 2022

The pictures were also shared by Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw who called it "Amrit Kaal ka Railway Station" (The railway station of Amrit Kaal). The pictures soon went viral with over 25,000 likes and over 3100 retweets.

One of the pictures showed two dome-like structures covered in glass with a foot-over bridge for the passengers. "The new era of transport and infrastructure is here," a Twitter user commented while another asked the government to stop "wasting money". "Stop this floundering of taxpayers money on redevelopment of already developed railway station of New Delhi. Use that money to repair, build the badly maintained Railway Stations all across India. Don't waste taxpayers money," the user commented.

Another user quipped: "And then u have to walk by skipping and evading gutka paan stains and wrapper trash." Yet another user questioned the "silly aesthetics". "Glass building in heat of New Delhi... Just wasting money on silly aesthetics to show vikas. No real utility," one user said. "Copy paste from Western structures without thinking about the weather conditions, this glass structure will need a small power plant to keep it cool…"

"My personal opinion: While I welcome this design, I feel that we can incorporate Indian culture in the interiors and walls. That will be a good mix of traditional and modern."

There were others who appreciated the modern architecture. "This is what world-class infrastructure looks like," one user said. Another wrote: "UAE lag raha (Looks like UAE)". The architectural expression of the proposed station boasts a style relatable to both historic and modern Indian culture to give it a unique identity, the Railways said in a statement.