Varanasi and Nagpur will soon have intermodal stations.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has conducted detailed pre-feasibility studies for setting up intermodal stations at Nagpur and Varanasi, and the development of detailed project reports for this is in final stages of completion.

Fifteen cities across the country have been prioritized for development of IMS of which Nagpur and Varanasi have been selected as pilot projects.

Intermodal stations  are terminal infrastructure which integrate various transportation modes like rail, road, mass rapid transit system, bus rapid transit, inland waterways , auto-rickshaws, taxis and private vehicles etc., so that people can move from one mode to another seamlessly, with minimum use of automobiles.

In most cities today, transport hubs like bus terminals, railway stations and others are located far from each other, so inter-modal transfers create pressure on the already congested roads. By bringing the different transport modes at one point, IMS will reduce congestion on roads and also vehicular pollution. 

IMS will also aid in city decongestion by encouraging the use of public transportation, a press release said.

Intermodal stations are being planned in an integrated manner along with road network development through new connecting roads, bridges, flyovers etc. The stations will cater to passenger volumes for the next 30 years and will have world-class amenities like FOBs with travellators, subways, common waiting rooms, clean toilets and restrooms, integrated public information systems, modern fire-fighting and emergency response services, convenience stores, lifts and escalators, adequate circulation space and commercial establishments.

The implementation and operation of the IMS will be done by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) between ministry of road transport & highways through National Highways Authority of India , ministry of railways and respective state governments. Members of the SPV will provide paid up capital or land as part of their equity contribution to the SPV.