PM Narendra Modi (left) with Assam CM Tarun Gogoi at the NF Railway Stadium in Maligaon in Guwahati, during the flagging off of first train between Mendipathar (Meghalaya) and Guwahati.

GUWAHATI/NEW DELHI: With shopping outlets, restaurants and Wi-Fi enabled waiting lounges at stations, train journeys could be a pleasant experience in future. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for privatization of passenger services at stations while flagging off the first train to Meghalaya, bring the state on the country’s rail map nearly seven decades after Independence.“Railway facilities are the same as they were 100 years back ... Privatise the railway stations and modernise them,” the PM said. “I will make it in 10-12 places. Stations should be better than airports as most travellers are poor people. We can easily have trains running below and commercial properties above (floor),” Modi said.The PM said at a time when real estate is expensive, railways should leverage their properties by allowing private parties to build luxury hotels, restaurants and other facilities at stations.Modi said once this exercise is completed in some select places, the government will carry out modernisation of stations across the country. He said railways have the potential to become the backbone of the country's economic activity.“We will not be happy in just adding one coach or upgrading one station. We want both horizontal and vertical development of railways. It can become the engine of Indian economy,” he said.Hailing Meghalaya’s appearance on the railway map, Modi cited ancient Indian design principles to highlight the importance of the northeast. He called the region ‘ishan kon’ (the northeastern corner in Vastu Shastra) and said it must be taken care of to ensure the country’s well-being.”“The northeast is the ‘Asta Lakshmi’ (eight goddesses of wealth and prosperity). Proper connectivity and infrastructure will transform the northeast to a region of prosperity,’’ he said.He said the whole of India will look at the northeast as a tourism destination if proper infrastructure is in place.Modi said the government has already allowed 100% FDI for railway modernization. He said the Centre has decided to open four railway universities where all aspects of railway service will be taught.This is not the first time government has indicated to modernise stations which suffer from poor hygiene and lack of passenger amenities.Last year, the railways set up a special purpose vehicle--station development authority-- with equity of Rs 100 crore to give a boost to the ambitious plan. The authority has identified five stations--Anand Vihar and Brijvasan in Delhi, Chandigarh, Habibganj in Bhopal and Shivaji Nagar in Pune.A senior railway official said private players would be engaged to modernize passengers amenities at stations while they would be allowed to commercially exploit the real estate space available in heart of the city around the stations.