The South Central Railways (SCR) Vijayawada Division has achieved a growth of Rs.2,291.19 crore in gross earnings during 2011-12 fiscal, as against Rs.2,003.88 crore last year. The growth of the earnings was 14.34 per cent, said Vijayawada Divisional Railway Manager Anurag.
The division has also achieved excellent progress in freight loading, maintaining punctuality, improving passenger amenities and in providing security for the commuters, said the DRM.
Listing out the achievements of the Railways in the division during 2011-12, at a press conference here on Monday, Mr. Anurag said that Vijayawada division had earned Rs.501.5 crore on passenger fares with 6.67 per cent growth which was Rs.469.71 crore last year.
As many as 98.40 million passengers were transported to various destinations this year, which was 94.35 million last year. The growth rate was 4.23 percent, he said.
As regards freight loading, Vijayawada division transported 24.802 million tonnes during the current financial year and earned Rs.1,706.45 crore which was 17.3 per cent more than last year's.
Accident-free year
The growth in goods transportation was mainly due to coal, fertilizers and other port-based loadings from Krishnapatnam and Kakinada ports, said the DRM. There were no major accidents in Vijayawada division during the last six years, and the SCR BZA division has registered 2011-12 as ‘accident free year'.
For providing security for passengers, Railway Protection Force (RPF) train escort parties with arms and ammunition were deployed in 26 mail and express trains running during nights.
As many as 114 cases were registered under Railway Police Act during the year recovering property worth Rs.8.45 lakh, and 15,652 persons were booked in different cases, said Mr. Anurag.
Priority was being given to passenger amenities at various stations.
Lifts have been arranged at Nellore, Chirala, Tenali, Kakinada and Bhimavaram stations and works are in progress in Vijayawada and a few other stations.
Amenities
For the convenience of physically challenged and senior citizens and pregnant women, battery-operated car service has been provided at Vijayawada Railway Station. Passengers may call over phone No.94939-46559 and avail of the facility, the DRM said.
Additional DRM S. Subba Rao, senior DCM S. Ramesh Babu, officers Vikram Gupta, and Venkateswara Rao were present.
