As part of Indian Railways' project of redeveloping stations across the country, the nodal agency has developed a first-of-its-kind 'form-based codes' for the commercial development of railway land.

The form-based codes approach is a set of a comprehensive set of codes, norms, and guidelines prepared by the nodal organisation to plan station redevelopment and regulating commercial development of railway land.

"Testing of the draft codes is being done at the ongoing station redevelopment projects at Nagpur, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Gwalior, Bijwasan, Anand Vihar, etc," the statement said.

According to Indian Railways Station Development Corporation, the codes or handbook/guidebook are compiled in six parts including --Handbook for station planning, guidebook for operationalizing national transit-oriented development policy for railway and station redevelopment, form-based codes for commercial development of railway land, codes for architectural design of commercial assets, green building codes for commercial development on railway land, codes for railway heritage asset.

The Indian Railways Station Development Corporation (IRSDC) has adopted the form-based codes approach, as per the guidebook issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

The Codes for Commercial Development on Railway Land is a comprehensive Code drafted to regulate Layout Planning and Sub-Plot Development within Railway land. It will be a Model Code to enable development of FBC applicable to the Sub-Plots of the Railway land. These Development Control Norms will apply to development of all such Sub-Plots which includes permissibility of uses, maximum permissible footprint area, Facilities for persons with disabilities (Divyangjan),Green Common Open Space,Conservation of Trees, Parking Standards.

"These codes formulated by IRSDC will lead to a systematic and scientific standardization of the development of railway stations, including commercial development on railway land. I would like to congratulate IRSDC for systematic and scientific standardization of design and implementation processes to Fastrack development, embodying customization, innovation and the true spirit of AatmaNirbhar Bharat and sustainable planning techniques," Amitabh Kant, CEO - Niti Ayog said during a webinar hosted by IRSDC.

He also said that the redevelopment of stations will become a model for the rest of the world for emulation. It forms the model for the rest of the world, leveraging key principles of Transit-Oriented development, passenger delight and sustainability for the futuristic and holistic development of world-class urban spaces.

According to an official statement, the move is aimed at revamping railway land or railway station areas into Railopolis, based on the principles of transit-oriented development or TOD. Once redeveloped, the stations will offer world-class, state-of-the-art amenities to passengers. A Railopolis is a mini smart city with mixed-use development where people can reside, work, and play. These areas attract huge investment and various business opportunities.

In order to expedite the station redevelopment project, improve ease-of-doing-business, and streamline the process, the organisation has developed handbooks and codes.

Apart from the Niti Ayog CEO, Suneet Sharma, Chairman Railway Board and CEO, Ministry of Railways and Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary - Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, were also present during the webinar.