As many as 192 trains will be cancelled, many will be partially stopped and several trains will be short routed due to the Route Relay Interlocking (RRI) and Non-Interlocking works that began on Tuesday.
Some daily trains, weekly trains coming from other states, will be diverted/cancelled due to the nine-day project, said Vijayawada Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Ashok Kumar at a press conference held here.
The pre-non interlocking works began on the first day and the RRI works will start from Wednesday, he said adding that the South Central Railway (SCR) has made elaborate arrangements to avoid inconvenience to the passengers.
“The tracks were laid some 40 years ago and needs replacement and the signalling system requires up gradation. Some platforms will be extended and all the signals will be equipped with LED lights as part of RRI project,” said Mr. Ashok Kumar.
Expansion of platforms
Platform No. 4 which has 21 coach facility will be extended to accommodate 24 coaches, platforms 2 and 3 will be expanded to allow 21 bogies from the existing 15 coach capacity and the length of platform 6 will be increased to accommodate 26 coaches from 24 coach capacity.
“As of now, trains coming from Secunderabad are not having facility to enter on to platforms 8 and 9. But, after RRI works, trains coming from Secunderabad and Delhi can enter on to the two platforms,” said Mr. Ashok Kumar.
Additional DRM K. Venugopal Rao said that to facilitate the RRI works some trains will be stopped at Gunadala, Rayanapadu, Ramavarappadu, K.C. Canal and Gannavaram satellite stations.
Some trains will be halted or diverted at the Eluru railway station.
The APSRTC will operate buses from the satellite railway stations to transport passengers to the railway station. All the trains will be operated manually during the RRI works, the ADRM added.
Additional counters
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Shifali Kumar said that additional counters have been arranged at the five satellite stations for booking, cancellation and refund during the RRI works.
Drinking water, food, electricity and security has been provided at satellite railway stations where the trains will be stopped before the Vijayawada station, Ms. Shifali said.
Mr. Ashok Kumar said that as many as 1,700 staff were engaged in works and pointsmen, supervisors, assistant station masters and other employees have been deputed from other stations in the division to operate trains manually.
Assistant Commercial Manager J.V.R.L. Raja Shekar said that South Central Railway has made all arrangements for the staff and provided necessary equipment for them, who were on deputation for RRI works. Special Officer Satyanarayana Reddy and other staff were present.
