Railway Stations of Tripura, India: An Assessment of Infrastructural Conditions

Infrastructure is to be understood as the fundamental facilities and systems which serve a state in particular and a region as a whole. Railway infrastructure encompasses railway lines and other parameters, such as stations and facilities located on railway premises, designed for the transport management of both passengers and freight. The major objectives of this study are to analyse the distributional nature of railway stations in Tripura and to assess the present infrastructure scenario of the railway stations in the state of Tripura after the gauge conversion (metre gauge to broad gauge). The study was started in 2016 just after the recommissioning of broad-gauge rails; (1676 mm) 16 functional railway stations have been considered for their operational nature and prearranged infrastructure facilities. The study is empirical in nature. Primary data was collected from the railway stations. A detailed review of railway records was carried out to understand the developmental process of the railway in this state. The geographic information system ArcGIS 9.3 was used for analysing the physiographic (relief, slope, etc.) and infrastructural features (platform geometry, ticket counters, drinking water facilities, etc.). SRTM DEM (30 m resolution) data was used for digital elevation modelling. Descriptive, parametric and non-parametric statistical tools were used to quantify the collected infrastructural data by applying SPSS 20 statistical analysis software. It has been gleaned from this study that the status of railway infrastructure in Tripura has overcome its initial phase of development with some intricacy. Ample scopes of infrastructural development of the railway stations in Tripura will assure a good communication railway system in point of view of both passengers and goods.